Avatar in Training
by Liselle129
Summary: Follow Aang as he pursues mastery of all the elements. Along the way, he learns some lessons about life and love and finds friends in unexpected places. Kataang, some ZukoxSong and SokkaxSuki. Rated for safety, most content will be Kplus.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: I blame MyrmidonGuy for this. I never knew my muse took orders before. Anyway, this idea came to me a while ago, so it's rather AU now and likely to become more so. It is essentially canon through Return to Omashu. I begin with a few "missing scenes" from that episode and then go off from there. I also assume that the events from my one-shot After the Cave have occurred, but it's not necessary to read that to understand this.

I have not seen every episode, so I apologize in advance for any inconsistencies.

**Omashu Revisited**

Aang, the last airbender and current Avatar, walked the spirit world, looking for someone. Since he and his two friends, the waterbender Katara and her brother Sokka, had to wait until full dark to sneak into the city of Omashu, he had decided to go to the spirit world and ask a question that had been bothering him.

"You seek me, young Avatar?" Suddenly Roku, the most recently deceased Avatar, stood before him. Aang bowed to him respectfully.

"Yes, Avatar Roku. I have a question about the Avatar State. You told me that it would only take over when I was in mortal danger."

"True."

"But there have been two times when something else triggered it. I don't want it to ever happen again, but I was hoping you could explain the reason."

"Well, tell me about these two times." Avatar Roku began walking thoughtfully, and Aang moved to keep pace with him.

"The first was at the Southern Air Temple, when I saw…" Aang trailed off. Even in spirit, he found it difficult to put into words. At last, he managed to utter his mentor's name. "Gyatso dead. Then this last time, the Earth Kingdom army was attacking me, but that wasn't enough. Only when Katara's life was in danger did I go into the Avatar State."

"Ah yes," mused Roku. "I think I can explain. When you love someone, that person effectively becomes an extension of yourself. In many cases, you may even find that another's safety means more to you than your own."

Aang mulled this over. He had certainly loved Gyatso; he was the only father Aang had known. Aang had definitely felt like a part of him died the day when he discovered that Sokka and Katara were right and his people truly had all been wiped out. But that meant….

"I love Katara?" Aang exclaimed in surprise, stopping suddenly. Roku turned to look at him.

"Of course. Didn't you know?"

Aang considered, thinking about all of the things he felt towards Katara, whether she was present or absent, and tried putting the umbrella of love over them all. It seemed to fit.

"Yeah. I guess I did." He paused again. "Does it have to feel so awful?"

Roku laughed, the first genuine laugh Aang had ever heard from his predecessor. He wondered what was so funny.

"Yes, it is awful, and wonderful, and beautiful, and terrible," Roku said when he recovered. "Love comprises the best and worst of everything that makes us human. Like the Avatar State, it provides both great strength and great vulnerability."

"Does she love me?" Aang wanted to know.

"That is something you must discover on your own."

Aang nodded. He had expected as much, but he'd had to ask.

"Allow me to give you some advice before you go," Roku added thoughtfully. "Accept the strength of your love, but be ever aware of its weakness."

The two Avatars, joined through time, bowed to each other, and Aang returned to his body.

When he opened his eyes, Aang saw his friends, Katara and Sokka, sitting near him, facing outward. They were trying to appear casual, but Aang could see the subtle alertness in their postures. He smiled a little to himself at their protectiveness. Ever since Prince Zuko had captured Aang's body while his mind was elsewhere, the siblings had been more watchful over his ventures into the Spirit World.

Aang wanted to take a moment to look at Katara in the light of his new understanding, but he knew they would soon notice he was moving, so he set that aside for now.

"Hey, I'm back," he said instead. The others turned toward him.

"Hi. Did you get the answers you needed?" Katara asked.

"Yes," Aang answered, not elaborating for obvious reasons. Katara looked like she wanted to press further, but she was too polite to do so. As usual, Sokka was not very interested in anything spiritual and was preparing for action.

"So, can we go now?"

"Yeah," Aang nodded. "There's this secret entrance…"

Aang led them up the sewer system into the city, eventually stumbling onto the underground resistance (pun intended). Sokka came up with the brilliant idea of getting everyone out of the city by making them all appear to have a kind of plague. When they were nearly done applying the sewer suckers to the Omashites, Aang noticed Katara pulling one off of a young man.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?" the Earth Kingdom man asked her. It was an old line, but it had the desired effect – Katara blushed faintly and looked away.

"It's a long story," she replied shyly.

"I'd like to hear it sometime."

An irrational surge of jealousy rushed through Aang; one hand tightened around his staff while the other curled into an involuntary fist. Before he could even think about acting on his feelings, though, he felt a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Steady," Sokka murmured above him. "I'm her big brother; this kind of thing is my job."

"You don't understand." Aang angrily tried to shrug off the hand, but the young warrior's grip only tightened.

"Actually, I do."

Taken by surprise, Aang looked up and saw in his friend's blue gaze the pain of lost love, along with a kind of sympathetic understanding. Aang faced front again, confused.

"Does she know?" he whispered.

"Nah," Sokka replied, finally removing his hand from Aang's shoulder. "Although how she can miss it is beyond me."

"Unless…she doesn't want to see it."

"Hey, don't think like that. I mean, I didn't think Princess Yue would ever look at me…" he trailed off.

"I'm sorry about Yue," Aang said after a pause. Although he had not been there, he had heard what happened to her. Sokka nodded curtly.

"She made the right choice," Sokka admitted. "She did her duty. And I have to do mine."

This last part was added almost to himself. Aang turned back to him, wondering exactly what he felt his duty was. To his sister? The Avatar? The world? This opened up a lot of questions that Aang wasn't certain he wanted to pursue. At last, Sokka shook himself and spoke to Aang again.

"You go, do what you need to. I'll keep an eye on this situation."

Aang nodded, took his leave of Katara, and began to search the city for King Bumi.

When he rejoined the others later, unsuccessful, Katara gave him a sympathetic hug. Unfortunately, Aang was almost too worried about his old friend to notice. Shortly thereafter, the message arrived confirming that the Fire Nation representatives had King Bumi and would exchange him for the baby who had inadvertently become part of the refugee group.

Some time later, Katara had fallen asleep on her side with the baby resting on her arm. Aang smiled at the two of them. She would have a sore arm when she woke up, but right now, they looked very peaceful.

"Are all girls like that?" he whispered to Sokka.

"Like what?"

"You know," Aang gestured to the sleeping pair. "Good with babies."

"I don't know. I guess," Sokka shrugged, not very interested. He looked like he was about to try to sleep also, but Aang was too concerned and wanted the company a little longer.

"Have you ever thought about having children?" he asked the older boy.

"No, not really." Sokka leaned back against Appa. "I guess you don't have much choice, though, right?"

Aang blinked, confused.

"What do you mean?"

Sokka turned to look at him in surprise. Apparently satisfied that the young Avatar really didn't understand him, he answered.

"Aang, you're the _last airbender_," he said patiently. "If you don't have children, there won't be any more."

Sokka waited as this sank in. Aang's eyes widened as he grasped the situation.

"Which means the line of the Avatar will end!" he realized. The full import of this gradually filtered through his consciousness. Not only would there be no airbender to be born an Avatar in the next cycle, but the three Avatars in between would have no airbending master to learn from and therefore would not reach their potential. "Great. No pressure."

Sokka laughed, though whether at Aang's predicament or his expression, Aang couldn't be sure. Then Sokka did his best to reassure his companion.

"Hey, you've got plenty of time. Let's get this saving the world thing out of the way first. Then you can start thinking about raising a flock of airbenders." He looked over at Aang slyly. "And maybe one or two waterbenders."

Aang's eyes darted over to him briefly, and he could feel himself flushing. At least, in the dark, he hoped Sokka couldn't see that.

The following day, after the botched exchange and the ensuing battle and chase, Aang sent his friends ahead while he returned the baby to the governor's family. He was gratified to see that they were genuinely pleased to get the little boy back.

Aang found Katara and Sokka just after sunset, some distance away from Omashu in a forest clearing. They were already setting up camp and trying to decide where to go next. Katara greeted Aang with a smile that warmed him from the inside.

"Were they happy to have him back?" she asked, handing him a piece of fruit. Aang bit into it and nodded. Apparently, the siblings had decided not to have a fire, either due to the lateness of the hour or the proximity to the occupied city. However, they had lit two lanterns to ward off the approaching dark.

"Very happy. They didn't even care how he got there."

"Maybe there's hope for the Fire Nation after all," Katara said.

"They're not like their daughter, apparently," Sokka commented from where he was putting up the tent. "What kind of sister is she, anyway?"

"For the record, I'd never give you up that easily," Katara informed him.

"Same here, little sister."

Katara raised her eyebrows at the "little sister" bit but decided to let it pass. Aang grinned at his two friends. It was nice to know that, despite their frequent bickering, they loved each other.

"I think something went wrong with the noble houses of the Fire Nation in the last few generations," Aang said. "I don't remember anything like that before."

"I don't know, Aang," said Sokka. "There must have been something weird about the Fire Lord even then. That kind of thing takes time to establish itself in a family."

"Besides, wasn't he the one who started this war?" Katara put in.

"And didn't we hear a rumor recently about Zuko's sister?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah, that she tried to capture him or something," Aang answered. "To be honest, I never met the Fire Lord from 100 years ago."

"Model family," Sokka said sarcastically, shaking his head.

"Indeed, the royal family is, perhaps, not the best example," came a new voice. Everyone turned to see Prince Zuko and his Uncle Iroh approaching on a riding beast.

Author's Note: Surprise! I will be putting some things in this fic that I predict will happen in the series eventually. I'm just accelerating things. In addition, in case you haven't guessed, I will also be injecting some of my philosophy and interpretations. I will be using Toph as the earthbending teacher because I didn't have a pre-existing idea for that character.


	2. Chapter 2: An unexpected offer

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: Okay, this is where I totally go off into my own world. I will be using some of the details from later episodes to flesh things out.

**An Unexpected Offer**

Sokka immediately turned and drew his boomerang. Katara ran up beside Aang and uncorked her water pouch, taking up a defensive stance. Aang, however, merely stood and watched curiously, half leaning against his staff. The two approaching firebenders showed no sign of attacking. Furthermore, they looked tired, hungry, and even paler than usual. Zuko dismounted and helped his uncle to do the same.

"Please, relax," Iroh said, hands spread in a gesture of peace. "We are not here to fight."

"Why should we believe you?" Sokka menaced.

"We have a proposition for you," Iroh continued as though Sokka had not spoken. Zuko finished tethering the horse-ostrich they'd been riding and followed Iroh. Aang held up a restraining hand to his friends.

"We might as well listen to what they have to say," he told them, throwing each an earnest gaze in turn. Both looked at him in astonishment, but they stood down. It was Sokka who broke the awkward silence and tension that followed.

"So, what's with the war chicken?"

Some time later, after the camp had been completely set up and food distributed, they all sat down in the ancient, cross-legged attitude of parley. Although the youngest, Aang almost unconsciously took the lead.

"First, I think we ought to have formal introductions," he said. "Allow me to present my friend and teacher, waterbending master Katara." Aang felt a smug sense of pride when he noticed Zuko's eyes widen at her title.

"This is my brother Sokka," Katara picked up the thread. "Warrior of the Southern Water Tribe."

"And I think you all know Aang, Avatar and last of the airbenders," Sokka finished.

"Well met," Iroh said graciously, speaking for his side. "Let me introduce to you my nephew, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, son and heir to Fire Lord Ozai."

"This is my uncle, Iroh, brother to the Fire Lord and Dragon of the West," Zuko concluded arrogantly.

"So, now that we all know who we are, what do you propose?" Aang asked.

"In short, we wish to join you," Iroh replied simply.

"Why?"

"As you can see, my nephew and I have fallen on hard times of late. We are now considered outlaws by the Fire Nation and enemies by everyone else. We have nowhere to turn."

"What's our benefit?" Sokka interjected.

"The Avatar will require training in firebending," Iroh answered him. Then, he turned back to Aang. "I am a master, and I offer my services to you."

Aang was stunned. Judging from the silence, his friends were, too. Katara found her voice first.

"You would teach Aang firebending?"

"Yes, in addition to providing the protection two firebenders could afford all of you."

"You realize that I have to master waterbending and earthbending first?" Aang asked cautiously, trying not to appear too excited. "I don't even have an earthbending tutor yet."

"Of course I am aware of the proper order of things," Iroh said calmly. "However, my nephew and I might not survive long enough on our own to find you again when you are ready. We do not know how to live off the land, and no one will knowingly assist us. I believe you will find it very difficult to engage another teacher."

Aang's mind was racing. Certainly, the old man was right. Master Jeong Jeong was the only other firebender he'd met that had been both willing and able to teach him, and it would be nearly impossible to find him again. Also, the Avatar and his companions would no longer be running from one of the parties chasing him, which could be advantageous.

"You've been very quiet, Zuko," Sokka said. "What do you get out of this?"

"It's in my best interests that my sister not find you or us," he said simply.

"That's it?" Sokka asked doubtfully. Zuko's eyes flickered to his uncle, who nodded slightly.

"When the Avatar's training is complete, I wish to take him to my father," Zuko said. Another stunned silence followed this request.

"You want to take me to the Fire Lord fully trained, knowing what I'll be capable of?" Aang asked him in disbelief. Zuko could not meet his gaze, but his jaw was set.

"He tasked me with capturing you and bringing you to him. Holding you after that is not my concern."

"My friends and I must discuss this alone," Aang said solemnly.

"Of course," Iroh allowed, and the three companions withdrew.

"You can't go with him to the Fire Lord!" Katara exclaimed emphatically. The concern in her eyes touched Aang, but he answered matter-of-factly.

"I have to face him by the end of the summer anyway," he pointed out. "If I go with Zuko, we both get what we want. And I don't have to sneak around. I can just walk in the front door."

"But you'd have to go without us," Katara argued.

"Unless we posed as prisoners, too," Sokka put in.

"We can work those details out later," Aang said dismissively. "What are we going to do _now_?"

"I don't trust them," Sokka stated flatly.

"Neither do I," Katara sighed. "Iroh has a point, though. How are we going to find another firebending teacher?"

"They're definitely telling the truth about being in dishonor," Aang said. "No Fire Nation warrior would cut off his topknot except as a sign of deepest disgrace."

"And I suppose they _could_ give us valuable information about the Fire Nation," Katara added thoughtfully.

"Like those three girls in Omashu?" Sokka asked.

"Exactly."

"They do look like they need help," Aang said. The three exchanged glances. "So we're agreed then?"

Katara nodded her assent.

"Okay," Sokka gave in. "But I think at least one of us should stay awake at all times, at least for a few days. We can take two-hour shifts through the night."

"That sounds like a good idea, but I'm not sure it will work," Katara said thoughtfully, looking as though she were doing some mental calculations. "In order for us all to get enough sleep, we'd have to have overnight stops of 12 hours."

"Okay, that's not practical," Sokka admitted. "Those two are definitely not going to need that much sleep."

"Besides cutting into our travel time," Aang added. "Also, spring is here, and the nights aren't that long."

"I think we're just going to have to take our chances," Katara commented. Then she broke into a grin. "Well, you know what they say: 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer.'"

"Sounds like a warrior's philosophy," Sokka approved. "Okay, I'm in." The trio returned to the Fire Nation outlaws.

"We accept your offer," Aang told them with careful formality. "We will all travel together, providing each other protection. Iroh will teach me firebending, and when the time comes, I will accompany Zuko to the royal palace."

"Then we are agreed," Iroh said with equal formality, rising and bowing politely. Aang returned his bow, and everyone sat down again.

"We were also hoping you could give us a little information," Sokka said. "We met three Fire Nation girls in Omashu. Any chance you'd know anything about them?"

"We can try. What can you tell us about them?" Iroh asked.

"Well, the one in the middle seemed to be their leader," said Katara. "She was definitely a firebender, but it was weird blue fire."

"And lightning," Aang added, remembering the girl chasing him through the city.

"Azula!" Iroh and Zuko said at the same time.

"Who's Azula?" asked Aang.

"She's my sister," Zuko admitted.

"_That's _your sister?" Sokka exclaimed. "I'm sorry. Seriously."

"She's up there, in the city?" Zuko said with concern. "Maybe we shouldn't be staying so close."

"I don't think Azula will move until at least morning," Iroh disagreed. "Besides, we are all settled and well screened. However, I would suggest making an early start tomorrow."

"I second that," Sokka concurred.

"What about the other two girls?" Zuko asked then.

"Well, one was dressed all in pink and seemed to be some kind of acrobat," Katara answered him. "She was able to do something to me that took away my bending for a while."

Aang looked over at the girl in sympathy. He could imagine how much that must have unnerved her.

"Sounds like Ty Lee," Iroh commented with a frown. "I wouldn't have thought that hunting us down would be her kind of thing."

"Azula probably bullied her," Zuko replied. "If that's true, I can guess who the third one was. A tall girl with straight black hair, narrow eyes, and a flat voice?"

"Yeah," Sokka said. "She sounded like nothing ever made her happy. She also had a really impressive knife-throwing technique."

"Please don't tell me you liked her!" Katara pleaded, staring at her brother in amazement.

"Merely a professional observation," he sniffed airily, crossing his arms.

"I take it you know her, too?" Aang asked, trying to regain control of the conversation.

"Yes. That's Mai," Zuko said distastefully. "She and Ty Lee were childhood friends of my sister's."

Aang wondered what had happened that Zuko remembered Mai so bitterly.

"I'm afraid my nephew and I can tell you little more than you already know," Iroh apologized. "We haven't seen those girls for years. Except for Azula, who was trying to capture us the last time we met."

"Hm. Sounds familiar," Aang couldn't resist saying in a light tone, though he kept his eyes wide in mock innocence. Sokka and Katara both snickered. Zuko merely glowered, but Iroh laughed out loud.

"Excellent point, young Avatar. Now, would you happen to have some tea on hand?"

"Sorry, no tea," Aang replied apologetically.

"Pity," Iroh sighed sadly.

"Zuko, there's something I've been wanting to ask you ever since we met," Sokka broke in. He pointed at the scar surrounding the other's left eye. "What's the other guy look like?"

Zuko's face froze completely, and he stood up suddenly.

"He's fine," was the short response before the prince turned and walked into the darkness.

"Please, forgive my nephew," Iroh said, lowering his head sadly. "You see, the 'other guy,' as you put it, is Fire Lord Ozai."

This information was greeted by utter silence. Katara found her voice first.

"His own father did that to him?" she asked in horror. Then she reached behind Aang and smacked her brother on the back of the head.

"Ow! What? I didn't know," Sokka complained.

"I suppose you have a right to know the truth," Iroh said heavily, and he briefly told them the story behind Zuko's exile.

"Like I said, model family," Sokka said, but this time there was no trace of humor. Instead, his tone was closer to disgust.

Aang looked off into the darkness, contemplating what he had just learned. Iroh followed his gaze and sighed.

"Even after all that has happened, a boy wishes to please his father." He turned back to them. "I don't know if you can understand that."

Sokka took out his boomerang again and turned it over in his hands.

"I think I can," he answered quietly.

Eventually, Zuko returned, the lamps were put out, and everyone lay down to sleep.

Author's Note: The "war chicken" comment was courtesy of my husband. If any fangirls out there are curious about what Sokka might be like in 30 years, I married him. Seriously, my husband is all about meat and sarcasm, and I think he's the reason Sokka speaks to me so clearly in my writing.


	3. Chapter 3: Forging Bonds

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

**Forging Bonds**

The following morning, the group rose early and struck camp. Aang and Katara finished their chores quickly and went a short distance away to practice some waterbending while Sokka packed their things on Appa's saddle. Sokka paused for a minute in his work to turn and watch them. Katara sent a small wave of water at Aang. He used whirling air to break it apart into a mist that came right back to her, effectively soaking her head and shoulders.

"Cheater!" her voice carried across the distance, though she didn't sound all that upset. "You're supposed to be using waterbending!"

"But as the Avatar, I'm supposed to learn to use whatever's appropriate to the situation," Aang countered, grinning impishly.

"Oh really?" Katara took another portion of water from the pot they were using as a source, made it into an ice ball, and threw it over Aang's head. He ducked reflexively.

"You totally missed –" he began, then realized that the ball was suspended above him. He looked up at it curiously. Without warning, it melted and fell directly into his face. Spitting out a mouthful of water, he laughed good-naturedly.

"So, how long has the Avatar been in love with your sister?"

Sokka stiffened and turned to see Zuko standing near him. Iroh had gone to feed and water the horse-ostrich, and Sokka had assumed that Zuko was with him. The tone was conversational, but Sokka sensed some other motive beneath it. He decided to stall until he could figure that out.

"They both have names, you know," he drawled, going back to his task. "Aang and Katara. You might want to practice using them."

"I'll try to remember that. But you didn't answer my question."

Sokka looked at him sharply. Zuko was far too acute for Sokka's taste.

"Frankly, I don't see that it's any of your business," Sokka said bluntly. "Why do you even care?"

At this, the exiled prince looked somewhat taken aback. He backpedaled slightly.

"I don't, really. It's just that…" he trailed off, then started again. "In all the time I spent chasing the Avatar, I never thought when I found him he'd be so…human."

"He _is_ human, Zuko," Sokka pointed out, confused. "All the Avatars have been. Very powerful, certainly, but still human."

"Yes, of course," Zuko gave a dismissive wave and seemed to be searching for the right words. "But the Avatar is a figure out of legend, larger than life. He's not supposed to…to…"

"To what?" Sokka demanded when Zuko faltered. "Ever feel anything? Fall in love? What _is_ he supposed to do? Set aside his humanity to be what others expect him to be?"

_Like you did._ The words hung in the air between them, unspoken.

"I don't know," Zuko answered, and the mask slipped a little. Sokka caught a glimpse of a frightened, confused boy beneath the bravado and felt a little pity in spite of himself. He sighed and mentally gave in.

"If I had to guess, I'd say from the first moment he saw her," he offered. Zuko looked at him blankly, and Sokka tilted his head and explained. "Your original question. I decided to answer it."

The prince grunted noncommittally and looked back over to where Aang and Katara now appeared to be conversing.

"I suppose she is rather pretty," he allowed. Sokka tossed him a pointed glance.

"Don't even think about it," he warned flatly. Zuko snorted.

"And compete with the Avatar? I don't think so," Zuko assured him. "Besides, fire and water don't mix."

Now, Sokka knew his sister well enough to understand that, if she decided she liked Aang, it wouldn't be because he was the Avatar. However, he saw no reason to enlighten the prince about this fact. Instead, he finished his work and jumped down from Appa's massive leg. Zuko eyed him speculatively.

"Is that what you think of me?" he asked. "That I left my humanity behind in my single-minded pursuit of the Avatar?"

Sokka regarded him for a long moment, and his scrutiny was intense enough that Zuko had to look away.

"No," the lean warrior said at last. "But I think you tried." The golden eyes flashed back to meet Sokka's gaze, sharp as a hawk, and the mask was back in place.

"You know nothing about me," Zuko asserted, turning away as if intending that to be the end of the conversation.

"Maybe not, but I do know something about wanting to please a father. Why do you think I joined this clambake?"

That stopped Zuko in his tracks. He turned reluctantly back to Sokka, eyebrows raised.

"Clambake?"

"It's a Water Tribe thing. See, when my father left to, well, fight your father, I wanted to go, too. He told me my job was to stay and take care of my sister. So, that's what I did, and what I'm still doing."

"So it's not about helping the Avatar, bringing balance to the world?"

"Nah, that's just a bonus."

Zuko appeared incredulous. Sokka laughed at his expression and leaned casually against Appa's flank, arms folded.

"Don't get me wrong. I like Aang, and he's like part of the family to me now. But seriously, Zuko, do you really expect me to believe you've been chasing us all over the world because you have some interest in how this war turns out?"

Zuko merely stared back at him, head cocked to the side as though waiting to see where he was going with this. Sokka took his silence for agreement and grinned in triumph.

"Exactly. You and I, Zuko – now _there's_ a phrase I never thought I'd use. Anyway, we're pragmatists. Leave abstracts like 'saving the world' to others. When you get right down to it, you and I are standing here now because our fathers once gave us orders."

The prince blinked a few times, then the corner of his mouth twitched.

"I think my uncle will like you," he said.

"Nobody's perfect," Sokka replied with a shrug.

Katara sat squeezing the remaining water from her braid. Aang had air-dried both of them, but it was hard for air to move between the plaits.

"I'm sorry, Katara," Aang said, standing nervously in front of her. "You were right; I should have been using waterbending."

"No, actually, you were right," Katara admitted, rising to her feet. "_But_ you still need to reach a point where the other three elements are almost as natural for you to use as air. I can't help you with that."

"Yeah, I guess no one can," he sighed.

"Well, you _are_ the only person alive who can bend more than one element." Katara regarded him, knowing that the knowledge she could impart to him was nearly at an end. He would still need to practice, of course, but it wouldn't be the same, and she would have to share him. She almost laughed at her own silliness. They hadn't even found an earthbending teacher yet, and already she was feeling jealous.

"Where do you think we should look next for an earthbender?" Aang asked, almost as though he read her thoughts. "I hadn't really thought beyond Bumi."

"You've probably seen more of the Earth Kingdom than I have. We'll have to find someplace that has several masters to choose from, I'd think." She paused to consider. "Aunt Wu told me I would marry a powerful bender," she said absently. As soon as she heard the words come out of her mouth, though, she could have bitten her tongue. What on earth made her say that?

"Really?" Aang asked, and his eyes took on a faraway look for a few seconds. Before Katara could ask him what he was thinking about, he blinked and returned his attention to her. For some reason, he seemed to be blushing faintly and wouldn't quite meet her eyes. "Well, I guess that makes sense," he concluded.

"It does?"

"Sure. You're very strong, Katara. I don't think you could be with someone who wasn't at least your equal. How would you ever respect him?"

Katara blinked. That certainly wasn't a response she'd expected from him, and she probably wouldn't have thought of the situation that way. Now that he'd said it, though, it made perfect sense.

"I guess you're right," she agreed. "I never thought of it like that before." She smiled at him, and their eyes locked. When this lasted so long it became uncomfortable, Katara broke eye contact and turned to see Prince Zuko apparently in deep conversation with her brother.

"What can they have to talk about?" she wondered aloud.

"I don't know. It's good that they're not fighting, though."

"Yet," Katara replied, only half joking. "I wonder if that scar hurts." Aang came up beside her and shook his head sadly.

"The really painful scars are the ones you can't see."

Katara looked over at him, feeling a strange emotion come over her. It never failed to amaze her the way this boy could be so childlike and playful one moment, then very wise the next. Impulsively, she gave him an awkward sideways hug.

"What was that for?" he asked with a surprised smile.

"Oh, just for being so understanding and forgiving and sympathetic," Katara cut herself off before she began to babble, something she felt dangerously close to doing. What was the matter with her?

Across the way, Zuko had turned away from Sokka for some reason, and Katara fully saw the scar.

"Maybe I could heal him," she said thoughtfully. "I don't know if it would work on a scar that old. I've never tried it."

"No." Aang spoke with such quiet authority that Katara turned sharply to look at him. There was something different in his stance, his very aura. For a moment, the waterbender caught a glimpse of the full-grown Avatar he would one day be. It sent a shiver down her spine, a not entirely unpleasant sensation. Aang felt her stare and brought his gray eyes up to meet hers. Then he gave her a small smile, breaking the spell.

"Not yet," he amended. "You hardly know each other, and he's not going to trust you. Give it some time before making the offer. Besides, that scar is part of who he is right now. He needs to let go of some of the inner scars before he's ready to give up that one."

Again, Katara was struck by the depth of his wisdom. When she thought about it, they had all experienced personal tragedy, including Zuko and Iroh. It seemed to be mainly their methods of dealing with it that varied. Maybe they could use that as common ground on which to build camaraderie, at least, if not friendship. Like Zuko and Sokka seemed to be doing. Maybe they had more in common than she'd thought. Absent fathers, for example, and…. Katara frowned. It just occurred to her that she'd never heard anything about Zuko's mother. Was she just a meek noblewoman, staying at home in the Fire Lord's palace? Or had she died, like Sokka and Katara's mother? Obviously, there was still a lot to learn about their new companions.

The two young men appeared to be reaching the end of their conversation, and Iroh was approaching them with the horse-ostrich.

"Looks like it's time to go," Katara informed her pupil, who nodded and walked with her to join the others.

"So, anyone know where we should go to find an earthbender to teach me?" Aang asked when they reached Appa.

"Actually, if you don't mind, we have a brief stop to make first," Iroh replied, looking significantly at the horse-ostrich. Aang looked to Katara with a blank expression, but Katara just shrugged, having no idea what the old man meant.

Author's Note: In case you were wondering, there is going to be a _lot_ of male bonding in this story. I'm hoping to update about once a week, but I am also working on a multi-chapter story on another site, so I can't promise. I'll try to warn you when it might be longer. Also, I am somewhat open to ideas of things to include, so feel free to put things in your review. The next chapter or two are pretty well planned out, and I know how it's going to end, but there's some space in the middle that could be filled. Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4: Song of Redemption

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: I wanted to thank my reviewers for Chapter 3: frozenheat (thanks for saying that because I was afraid some of the dialogue shifts were a little abrupt), Kairuthefrog (yes, Toph will be included shortly), loaned, Ataraia, Green Earth PFC (my biggest criticism of other writers is too much description, so don't expect to see much more of that from me, though I'll make some effort), and denythefreshmaker (I think all writers are philosophers to some extent and no, this will not be Zutara)

**Song of Redemption**

The purpose of their side trip quickly became evident. By the following evening, they had reached a modest but neat home in a forest clearing. Zuko and Iroh went up to the front step with the horse-ostrich while the others waited in the bushes. Zuko stepped onto the porch and knocked, and the door opened a crack. Aang couldn't see the person inside, but he heard a gasp that sounded somewhat feminine.

"I came back to say that I'm sorry we, um, borrowed your animal," Zuko said quickly.

"And we apologize for any inconvenience it might have caused you and your mother," Iroh added, bowing slightly.

"They stole it!" Aang realized, but he was quickly silenced by a slender hand over his mouth.

"I've been known to steal a time or two myself," Katara, the hand's owner, reminded him. Aang supposed she was referring to the waterbending scroll she'd taken from a group of pirates. Of course, the pirates had stolen it from the Northern Water Tribe, where Katara had some connections, so it could be argued that she had a better claim on it then they had. Still, he saw her point and nodded. She removed her hand. Aang realized that he had missed part of the conversation going on in front of them.

"That's our cue," Sokka whispered, nudging Aang. Momo settled onto Aang's shoulder, and he stepped into the narrow beam of light cast by the partially open door. Sokka and Katara followed him, with Appa lumbering behind. Zuko had retreated again and stood beside his uncle.

"Hi," Aang said lamely. He could see now that a young woman was at the door, but with the light behind her, most of her features were obscured. He watched her eyes widen, though, and she stepped fully out of the doorway and knelt on the porch, head lowered in a gesture of respect.

"Avatar Aang," she greeted him, with a touch of awe in her voice. "How may I serve you?"

Aang looked to Katara for help, but she just spread her hands helplessly. He went up the steps to the woman.

"Please stand up," he told her. "This really isn't necessary." She stood, and Aang was able to truly see her for the first time. She seemed quite young, and he guessed that she stood a little taller than Katara. She had large eyes and a kind, open face. She wore a loosely fitting kimono, and her long, brown hair hung in a single braid down her back, except for a few bangs lying across her forehead.

"I am Song," she said simply. Then she looked over Aang's head. "When you told me you knew the Avatar had returned, I didn't realize you knew him personally."

"That's a long story," Sokka stepped in. "Anyway, you have your beast back, so we'll just be on our way."

"Wait," came a new voice. An older woman appeared behind Song. Her mother, Aang realized as he remembered Iroh mentioning her earlier. She was shorter than her daughter but dressed similarly, and her gray hair was pinned behind her head in a large bun. "You must stay for dinner."

"What are you having?" asked Sokka, never one to turn down a meal.

"Sokka!" Katara quietly exclaimed, with no noticeable results.

"Pork dumplings," the mother replied with an indulgent smile.

"I don't eat meat," Aang said apologetically.

"No matter. There's plenty of stir-fry vegetables, steamed rice, and noodles."

Aang turned to his companions. Zuko looked distinctly uncomfortable, but Iroh seemed willing to go with the flow. Sokka was eager, and Katara was looking at Aang questioningly.

"Okay," the Avatar told their hostesses. "Before we come in, though, I think you should know who we all are. Obviously, you recognize me. These are my friends, Sokka and Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. And the ones you've met before are really Prince Zuko and General Iroh, of the Fire Nation. They're also my companions now."

There was a very awkward silence. Song recoiled reflexively. Her mother cleared her throat.

"Well, are you coming or not?" she asked pointedly.

"Mother!" Song exclaimed.

"They didn't harm us before, did they?" the old woman demanded. "Besides, the Avatar speaks for them."

Aang licked his lips, knowing he was going out on a limb for these two men and hoping he was right. Song dipped her head in the slightest of nods.

"Just give us a moment to settle the animals out here," Katara requested, and the women withdrew into the house.

"I can't believe they invited us in after you robbed them," Aang said to Zuko and Iroh.

"And after finding out who we really are," Zuko added, gazing thoughtfully at the closed door.

"It must be my ineffable charm," Iroh suggested laughingly.

"Of course, being the Avatar's companion is one impressive calling card," Sokka pointed out.

Over dinner, they told their story, frequently interrupting each other. They skipped over some of the more personal aspects, like the reasons for Zuko's exile. Zuko said little, though he seemed to become more relaxed as the evening wore on, and he cast frequent glances at Song.

"I'm sorry we had to lie about who we were," he told her at last.

"I understand why you did," Song answered quietly. She, too, seemed to have warmed up to the guests during the course of the meal.

"Everything else I told you was true, if a little misleading," Zuko added. "I _haven't_ seen my father in years, and he _is_ fighting the war, just not in the way you thought."

Song nodded, then looked at him intently. She looked as though she were going to say something more, but she changed her mind.

"Well, it's getting late," Aang said. "Thank you very much for supper. We should go now."

"You won't be able to get far in the dark," said Song's mother. "Why don't you spend the night here?"

"Oh, we don't want to impose any further," Katara objected.

"Our house would be honored," Song insisted. There didn't seem to be a gracious way to refuse.

"Okay," said Sokka, who had finally stopped eating long enough to speak. He and Iroh seemed to be having a competition to see who could eat with the greatest enthusiasm. "If you don't have a space large enough for all of us, Aang, Katara, and I are used to sharing a room –"

"I'm sorry, but that isn't possible," Song interrupted, gently but firmly.

"What?" Aang asked, confused.

"In this region, it is highly improper for unmarried males and females to share sleeping quarters," Song's mother explained.

"But…she's my sister! And he's the Avatar!" Sokka argued.

"Even so, I cannot allow it. I'm sorry."

"Katara can share my room," Song offered. "Our rooms are rather small, so perhaps you and the Avatar can take one room, and Junior – I mean, Zuko and Iroh can use another." It had already been explained that the two firebenders had used the names Junior and Moshi during their last visit, and Song seemed to be having a hard time adjusting. Aang and the others had a pretty good laugh about the silliness of the false names.

Sokka hesitated at Song's suggestion. Aang wasn't too comfortable with the arrangement, either. He had hardly ever been separated from the others during their travels, and it had usually meant nothing good.

"I'll be fine," Katara assured the boys, stepping in. "It might be nice to have another girl to talk to for a change."

Aang looked to Katara, who gave him a reassuring smile. When she smiled at him like that, he couldn't refuse her anything, so he turned to Sokka. Sokka sighed and shrugged his agreement, then went outside to get their bedrolls.

Later, Aang watched as Sokka arranged his sleeping bag to his satisfaction while Aang sat on a bamboo mat.

"Um, Sokka?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you…I mean…would it really be okay with you if…well, if things worked out between me and Katara?"

"She could do worse," Sokka replied nonchalantly.

"That's not very encouraging."

"I'm her big brother. That's as complimentary as I'm allowed to get."

"That makes no sense!"

"It would if you had a sister."

Aang just stared at him, perplexed. No matter how much time he spent with Sokka and Katara, he was convinced that he would never understand sibling relationships. Sokka glanced over his shoulder at Aang, then sat facing him and grew serious.

"Okay, look. I suppose I could make all kinds of logical arguments for and against, but really, none of that matters."

Aang was shocked. He wouldn't have imagined there could be a situation where Sokka would say logic wasn't important.

"I like you, Aang," Sokka continued. "More importantly, Katara likes you. And you love her. That's all I really need to know. Ultimately, though, it has to be her decision, or it doesn't mean anything."

Aang nodded. He agreed on that point, and he was not blind to the way Sokka and his sister obviously felt about the custom of arranged marriages at the North Pole.

"Thanks, Sokka," Aang said, unable to think of anything else to add.

"Please do me a favor, though, okay?" Sokka requested as he lay down. "When sparks do start to fly between you two, don't talk to me about anything that happens. At all. Ever. Are we clear?"

"Got it. Good night, Sokka."

"Good night, Aang."

Aang lay down as well, hoping his thoughts wouldn't keep him awake too long. It had not escaped his notice that Sokka had not said "if" sparks fly; he'd said "when."

Meanwhile, Katara was finding it refreshing to have a young woman to talk to again. Although she had hidden it well earlier, Song seemed to be somewhat star-struck at having met the Avatar in person.

"I recognized him from the Fire Nation posters, of course," Song was saying. "They don't really do him justice, though, do they? There's something about his presence…I don't know how to explain it."

"It's power," Katara answered her. "And I think it's getting stronger the more he learns."

"Well, he _is_ the most powerful bender alive, isn't he?"

"If not, he eventually will be."

"Do you really think he can save the world?"

"Yes, I do," Katara answered fervently. She had always believed that, ever since she'd discovered who he really was.

"There's more to Zuko's story, isn't there?" Song asked, changing the subject. "When I first met him, I assumed…how did he get that scar?"

Katara paused, aware that it wasn't really her story to tell. Still, perhaps it would be all right to share a little of the truth. After feeding Zuko twice and "loaning" him her beast for several days, the woman deserved that much.

"He refused to fight in a duel," she said at last. "Ironically, I think he didn't want to hurt the other person."

"Oh, I see." Song fell silent after this.

As Katara lay down to sleep, something Song had said came back to her. _Most powerful bender alive._ This reminded her again of Aunt Wu's prediction. However, it also reminded her that Aang's status as the Avatar placed him as nobility even above kings. Once this was all over, he could probably have his pick of any girl in the world. Why would he pick a common, short-tempered Water Tribe girl, even if she were a waterbender? Suddenly, Katara brought herself up short. When had she started thinking about Aang getting married? More than that, when had she become interested in applying for the job? She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, determined to force these confusing thoughts out of her mind.

Author's Note: Sorry there's not much humor in this chapter. I mostly wanted to tie up a few loose ends. I thought it was sort of odd that no one ever seemed to question the main three characters sleeping in the same room, so I wanted to explore a little what might happen if that weren't allowed.

Wasn't that a great movie last night, though? Sokka on cactus juice was hilarious, and there was that sweet Kataang moment at the end. It still supported my theory about the Avatar state, too.


	5. Chapter 5: Earthbending Tournament

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: Thanks to loaned for reviewing Chapter 4. It's not clear from the show, but I'm assuming that Azula is about one year older than Zuko. The fact that she was named for their grandfather implies that she was firstborn, as well as Zuko imitating her when "feeding" the turtleducks.

**The Earthbending Tournament**

In the morning, the Avatar and his companions prepared to leave quite early.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality," Aang said to the two women, bowing his gratitude. "Do either of you happen to know where I might find an earthbending teacher?"

The mother shook her head, but Song thought for a moment and brightened.

"There is a town about a day's journey from here that has regular earthbending tournaments," she told them. "I've heard travelers talk about it at the clinic."

"That sounds perfect!" Katara exclaimed. "Where is it?" As the young woman began to describe landmarks and roads, Sokka broke in.

"Sorry, but we don't really need ground detail," he pointed out. "Just tell us which direction it's in as the eagle-marten flies."

Song pointed south, and Sokka nodded his appreciation. Everyone gathered around Appa, but Zuko suddenly turned back and went up to Song.

"I'm sorry," he said simply. "For everything." Aang realized that Zuko literally meant that last word. He wasn't just talking about his own lying and stealing, but also apologizing for the entire war.

"It seems my nephew is making progress," Iroh observed.

"With the girl, or his world view?" Sokka quipped. "Because I think you could argue it either way." Iroh laughed heartily. He and Sokka were already getting along amazingly well. They appreciated each other's humor, which could not always be said of their other companions.

"We do need to ask an important question, Aang," Katara said. "Will Appa be able to carry all of us without a problem?"

Aang considered, evaluating the new members of their group. Zuko was only a little taller than Sokka, but he was noticeably bulkier. More obvious, however, was how much weight Iroh carried on his relatively short frame. Still, Appa was a _very_ large animal.

"I think so," Aang decided. "We might want to try flying shorter distances, though, letting him rest a little in between. I just hope we find a lightweight earthbender," he added with a grin.

In the air, it only took them until mid-afternoon to reach their destination. Aang, Katara, and Sokka went into town to scout around and pick up some supplies. They all thought it best if Zuko and Iroh stayed out of sight as much as possible. When the trio returned, they brought food, tea, and good news.

"We found out where the tournaments are," Aang said excitedly. "They're having one tomorrow."

That evening, both Aang and Zuko decided to spend some time in meditation. While meditating, Aang had a vision. He saw a young girl in a white dress, and there was a winged boar flying past her. Opening his eyes, Aang wondered what it might mean.

The next day, Zuko asked his uncle to continue his firebending training.

"It's likely we'll run into Azula again," he pointed out. "I need to learn more if I'm going to have any chance against her."

Uncle Iroh agreed, but because of their proximity to the Earth Kingdom town, they couldn't take the risk of attracting attention by using real fire. Besides, the animals were also currently their responsibility, and flame-throwing was liable to upset them. Therefore, after an hour or so, Iroh judged that they had done about as much as was reasonable without actually being able to use their element.

While Iroh brewed himself some tea, Zuko sat alone. He pretended to meditate again, but really he just wanted some time to think. He was unaccountably glad that he had been able to return the horse-ostrich to its rightful owners. At the back of his mind, he wondered whether one reason he'd taken it in the first place was to have an excuse to see Song again to return it.

After a little more reflection, Zuko made himself a promise. He decided that, once he had regained his honor and his rightful place in the Fire Nation, he would make everything up to Song somehow. But how could he make up for the loss of her father? Then it came to him – he would find out what had happened to the man. Zuko knew her father was probably long dead, but it would surely ease the girl's mind and her mother's to know the truth.

That afternoon, the Avatar – Aang, Zuko reminded himself – and his friends came back from the earthbending tournament, practically talking over one another.

"I think I've found my teacher!" Aang exclaimed. "At least, I think I know who it's supposed to be. We've still got to actually find her and talk to her, though."

_Her?_ thought Zuko curiously.

"I still don't know why you can't ask The Boulder," Sokka said in a voice that seemed oddly hoarse. "I thought he was _much_ cooler than that little girl."

"And _I _think you inhaled too much dust and sweat," Katara snorted derisively. "If you could take a break from your masculinity fest for a minute, maybe you could re-engage your brain and actually make yourself useful."

Aang seemed a little disconcerted when the Water Tribe peasants argued like this, but to Zuko, it was like music was to his uncle. He observed their bickering with a certain degree of wistfulness. It was not that he missed his sister – quite the opposite, actually. He just instinctively understood that this was what siblings were supposed to do; they fought over things that didn't matter but stood together on the things that did. Zuko vaguely remembered a time when he had looked up to and possibly even loved Azula, but that was long gone.

"Sounds like it was quite an event," Uncle Iroh commented.

"It was awesome!" Sokka answered for them. He then launched into a description of the competition consisting mainly of sound effects and exaggerated movements. Unfortunately, the effect of a particularly dramatic re-enactment was somewhat spoiled when he tripped over a rock and sprawled onto the ground, face-first. His sister clapped, slowly and sardonically.

"Anyway, The Blind Bandit beat The Boulder," Aang reminded his friend.

"But not you," Sokka said, standing up and brushing himself off.

"What?" Zuko blurted.

"You entered the competition?" Uncle Iroh added.

"I just wanted to get close enough to talk to her," Aang shrugged.

"The only reason Aang beat her is because he was bending air, not earth," Katara pointed out. "She wasn't prepared for that."

"We need to find her," Aang insisted. "And we'll need Appa to do that."

So they flew off on the flying bison, leaving Zuko and Iroh alone.

"They could just leave us here now, you know," Zuko felt compelled to suggest. "Or turn us in to Earth Kingdom authorities."

"They won't," Iroh replied confidently. "The Avatar made an agreement with us. Do you doubt his honor?"

Zuko grumbled a bit but said nothing more. The others were gone for a long time, and the firebenders ate a meal and decided to get some sleep while they waited. Zuko woke to voices, though he couldn't at first make out what they were saying. Suddenly, Aang stood in front of him.

"Hurry," he said, making Zuko come fully awake. "We need to put some distance behind us tonight." Zuko wanted to know what was going on, but the sense of urgency was contagious, so he helped pack the rest of their things and hand them up. He struggled to climb up Appa's leg, since he really didn't have the hang of it yet. Sokka grasped his arm and pulled him up with strength Zuko wouldn't have expected in someone so lean. Aang gave up trying to help Uncle Iroh physically and simply launched him onto the beast's back with a powerful gust of air, following by taking a gigantic leap onto the huge head.

"This is Toph," Katara introduced the addition to their party, and the firebenders told her who they were.

"Why the hurry?" Zuko asked.

"We might have some people chasing us soon," Sokka answered, looking anxiously behind them.

"What did you do?" Iroh wondered.

"Kidnapped me," said the new girl nonchalantly. Everyone stared at her. "At least, that's what my parents will tell whoever they hire to come after me," she amended. Riding on the bison under the stars, Zuko finally had time to look at their newest "recruit." She was small, apparently even smaller than Aang. Her dark hair was tied back somewhat messily, and she was barefoot. There was also some kind of film over her eyes.

"Are you blind?" Zuko asked curiously.

"Yeah. So?" the girl replied belligerently.

"Just wondering how you can bend without seeing what you're doing," Zuko responded.

"I feel vibrations through my feet. It doesn't work very well flying, though," she added, withdrawing a little and pulling her knees up to her chest.

"You seem awfully young to be a master," Uncle Iroh commented.

"And you sound kind of old to be the Avatar's companion," she shot back. Iroh blinked for a moment, then laughed.

"My uncle is –" Zuko began, angry at the disrespectful tone. He was interrupted by Iroh grasping his arm.

"Never mind, Nephew. She's had a tough night."

After about an hour, Aang brought Appa back to earth so they could all catch some sleep.

"So, where are we going next?" Katara asked Aang the following morning. "You have all your instructors now."

"Well, it needs to be somewhere safe," Sokka mused. "And you'll need room to wave your arms and legs around."

Aang ignored Sokka's rather dismissive description of bending and thought it over. He brightened as an idea occurred to him.

"The Southern Air Temple!" he exclaimed. "It's deserted and hard to get to. It would be perfect!"

"Um, Aang, I don't think that's going to work," Katara said gently.

"Why not?"

"The temple is sitting right on top of the mountain. To practice earthbending, you'd practically have to destroy it. I don't think you want to do that."

"Oh, right." Aang was disappointed, but he knew she was right.

"Besides, as we found last time, there's no food," Sokka added. "We'd have to keep leaving to pick up supplies, and that's bound to attract attention."

"We can visit there again sometime, if you want," Katara said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I guess you're right," Aang conceded. "I was hoping we might find some preserved clothes there, though." He stretched out his arm to show that his wrist extended beyond the end of the sleeve.

"You're growing," Katara said as though surprised.

"People our age do that from time to time," Sokka pointed out dryly. Katara glared while Aang giggled.

"My boots are getting tight, too," Aang added.

"So, where _are_ we going?" Iroh put in, trying to get the conversation back on track.

"Let's see," Aang said thoughtfully. "We need a place safe, kind of remote, lots of room, and plenty of supplies." He and the Water Tribe members exchanged a quick glance before all saying in unison: "Kyoshi Island!"

Author's Note: I made up the eagle-marten. A marten is a small, weasel-like predator about the size of a cat. Of course, I also had to come up with another way for Aang to get the clues about finding Toph, since I skipped the whole swamp adventure. And I believe "The Earthbending Tournament" was the working title of The Blind Bandit episode, so it seemed appropriate.


	6. Chapter 6: On Kyoshi Island

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: Review responses are at the end, even if I already wrote you individually.

**On Kyoshi Island**

"How long should we stay here?" Katara wondered aloud as they began their descent to Kyoshi Island.

"I don't think we should stay anywhere longer than three days," Iroh advised. "No matter how safe you think it is."

"My sister has a very long arm," Zuko agreed.

They landed amid loud cheering. Almost the entire community seemed to be gathered to welcome them back.

"Sounds like you're kind of popular here," Toph observed. Aang grinned. Sokka had offered to hold the reins for a while, so Aang was riding on Appa's saddle with the rest of them.

"That's the life of the Avatar," Aang said modestly.

"Yeah, everyone who doesn't want to attack you just loves you," Sokka replied sarcastically from his perch atop Appa's head.

"Aangy!" squealed a little girl Katara recognized as Koko, leading a group of children up to the beast. As Aang leapt down to greet them, he was swarmed over.

"I forgot about them," Aang said, sending an apologetic glance backward as he tried to give himself some breathing room. Katara smiled indulgently as he raced around the gaggle on his air-scooter. Despite his protests, Aang was a natural with children. But then, he was little more than a child himself. Watching the chaos, Katara could envision in her mind's eye how Aang must have looked when playing with the other young airbenders, before destiny interfered. Her smile grew sad. The world expected so much of him. Yes, in some ways he was a child, but in other ways, he was much more. It was nice to see him behaving carefree for a change.

Suddenly, the image before her shifted. It was still definitely Aang, but he was taller and broader-shouldered. No longer a child, but a man, she realized. He was playing with some small children who, though they varied considerably in skin tone, shared his gray eyes. Katara blinked and shook her head to clear it. Had that been some sort of vision? No, she had never shown any talents in that direction. Surely it was only the workings of her overactive imagination.

"Katara? We could use some help." Her brother's voice interrupted her reverie. What was the matter with her lately? She helped unpack and gave Toph a hand climbing down to the ground, which she fell upon gratefully.

"I can see again!" Toph shouted joyfully.

"Um, where's Suki?" Sokka asked one of the elders in a too-casual tone.

_Smooth, big brother, _Katara thought, casting a teasing glance at him. Not that she blamed him, really, for wanting to see the female warrior again. Suki had taught Sokka a lot, and now that Yue was unreachable…well, who knew what might happen?

"She and the other warriors went off to fight," the elder answered. "They thought it was time to go out into the world and make a difference."

Sokka gave a short nod of understanding. Katara decided it was time to rescue Aang, and she waded through his band of followers.

"Aang's learned a few new tricks since the last time we were here," she told the kids. "We need a little time to settle in, though. Maybe you can watch our next waterbending lesson in…one hour?" She looked to Aang for confirmation. When he nodded his agreement, she said, "One hour it is, then."

One hour later, Katara and Aang went to the beach in their underclothes, where they were met by the Kyoshi children.

"Let's warm up with a series of the basic forms," Katara suggested. "Follow my lead."

Aang did so, mirroring her movements easily. They moved on to some slightly harder techniques. Katara raised a portion of water into the air and began moving it in a circle around the two of them. When it got to the middle of her right side, she'd let go and let Aang take over, then she took it back on her left. The circle went around and around, their abilities blending so well that it became difficult to tell where one person's bending left off and the other's began. It was almost like a dance.

In the next phase, she cast several attacks at him while he countered. Then, they switched so that he was on the offensive and she was defending. At last, Katara decided it was time for something new.

"Excellent work," she approved. "Now, for today's lesson. The idea is to create a large wave and bend it over your head. Then, you split it in two so that it crashes on either side, leaving you standing in the middle. You might all want to stand back."

Everyone complied, and she raised the water into a wall and brought it over herself just as she'd described. There were some "oohs" and "aahs" of appreciation from the onlookers. She called Aang back over.

"The actual movements to this one aren't that difficult," she explained. "It's the timing that's critical." They ran through the forms without the water until she was satisfied that he had it down.

"Okay, now try it with the water," Katara said. He nodded and did so as she stood back to watch. Unfortunately, his wave failed to split completely, with the result that it crashed fully on top of him and pulled him under. Katara reacted quickly, forcing the ocean to give up its prize and spill Aang back up onto the shore, where he sputtered and spat out seawater. Katara knelt beside him to make sure he was all right.

"That's harder than it looks," he informed her ruefully, sitting up.

"Of course. You're into some pretty advanced stuff now."

"Thanks for the save."

"Really, haven't we saved each other enough times that we're past all that?" she asked, trying to laugh it off despite the blush she felt creeping up her cheeks. "Besides, it wouldn't look very good for me to lose my first pupil."

He grinned back at her, and their eyes locked. His face gradually became serious as she felt her own smile fade. Her heart began beating inexplicably faster, and she felt short of breath. Those smoky depths were holding her, drawing her in.

It's hard to say what would have happened next if they hadn't had an audience. As it was, a chorus of "Ooooo," broke out, such as only a group of little girls can produce. Katara pulled back in confusion, seeing a blush form on Aang's face that had to mirror her own. Actually, she felt like the flush was spreading across all of her exposed skin, and she became acutely aware of how little they were wearing. An unfamiliar pulse of longing seemed to be emanating from her feminine core.

"So, should we try again?" Aang inquired after a pause, not looking at her.

"Why don't you catch your breath for a minute first?" she recommended, desperately trying to do that herself. "I feel a sudden urge to swim."

Without waiting for his response, Katara dove into the embrace of her element, willing the ocean's coolness to quench the fire that was flaring up inside her.

Sokka reclined lazily on the beach the next morning, staring at the sky, when his reverie was rudely interrupted by his sister stalking past him, muttering to herself.

"She's going about it all wrong!" Katara exploded at last. "Aang needs gentle correction and encouragement, not shouting and…and _drilling_!"

She said the last word as though it were a curse. Sokka sighed and sat up, resigning himself to the end of his solitude. Katara had been on another part of the island to watch as Toph commenced Aang's earthbending instruction. Iroh and Zuko were working on firebending somewhere else. Sokka had been quite happy to not have anything to do or anywhere to run for a little while, but Katara seemed incapable of relaxing. Even now, she was pacing back and forth, the surf bubbling a little with her agitation.

"Maybe I should just talk to her. You know, teacher to teacher?"

"I don't think you should interfere," Sokka said cautiously. "There might be more than one right way to teach, after all." Katara whirled on him, making him wince reflexively.

"Oh, so you're taking _her_ side now?" she flared.

"No, I'm on _Aang's_ side," he shot back, a little more forcefully than he'd intended. "Aren't you?"

At first, Katara seemed taken aback by this suggestion. Then she deflated, and her anger evaporated.

"Of course I am," she answered quietly. There was silence for several seconds.

"Katara, sit down." Sokka was somewhat surprised to see her obey almost immediately. He hadn't used the "big brother" tone on her in years, but it was gratifying to know that it still worked. He filed that away for future reference.

"All I'm saying is that earth is very different from water and air," he went on. "Maybe it needs to be taught a different way."

"I guess earth _could _be considered air's opposite, like fire is to water," Katara acknowledged grudgingly.

"Exactly. I've watched you and Aang a lot over the past few months, and the ways you move aren't really all that different. Air and water are kind of similar, when you think about it. They're both nearly always in motion, so all you guys are doing is redirecting that motion the way you want.

"Earth, though, is naturally solid and unmoving. An earthbender's focus has to be on getting something to move that doesn't really 'want' to."

"There are earthquakes," Katara pointed out, though she sounded rather half-hearted about it.

"Yeah, but those are rare," Sokka dismissed. He paused as he thought of something else. "You might even say that air and water complement each other. I mean, the water is full of air, and the air is full of water."

"Wait – did you just say the air is full of water?" Katara asked, perking up suddenly.

"Sure," Sokka shrugged, not sure where she was going with this. "We call it humidity, but it's really tiny drops of water suspended --"

He broke off when he saw that he had lost her. Frowning in concentration, Katara rose to her feet and stretched her hands above her head. She closed her eyes and began moving her arms around in a sort of whirling pattern. When she was done, a ball of water about the size of two fists hovered between her hands. Sokka raised his eyebrows.

"That could be useful," he commented, trying not to sound too impressed. Katara nodded.

"It takes a while, so it's not the best in a fight, but at least we know I don't necessarily need a body of water to work with," she said. "Maybe I'll get faster the more I practice. I wonder why I've never heard of anyone doing this before."

Sokka considered this.

"Well, most waterbenders historically live at the North or South Poles," he mused. "There isn't really any humidity to speak of there, so maybe it just never occurred to them."

"I guess," Katara said, playing with her new-found water. Then she brightened. "I can't wait to show Aang!"

Sokka smiled to himself. He was sure that Aang's first impulse on mastering an earthbending skill would be to show Katara.

"Is something funny?" Katara asked him. Sokka chided himself internally for allowing his amusement at the dance between his sister and Aang to show.

"Oh, just thinking about how similar you and Aang are sometimes," he said casually. Then, to deflect further questions, he continued his earlier dissertation. "Anyway, as I was saying, there's also the personal aspect to consider. Your relationship with Aang is completely different from Toph's."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked, just a little too quickly.

_Got you, sis,_ Sokka thought. For the moment, however, he let it slide.

"I only mean that you and Aang were friends before you became his teacher," Sokka said aloud. "Toph specifically joined us to teach him." Then, because he simply couldn't resist any longer, he added, "Why? What did you think I meant?"

"Oh, nothing. Just that," she mumbled, but he noted the faint blush showing in her tan cheeks.

_Of course, there's also the fact that Aang is in love with you and would do anything to please you,_ Sokka thought but did not voice. Personally, he felt that was the primary reason Aang was such a good student for Katara. Having a little experience in that vein himself, Sokka could well believe that receiving a smile from the girl in front of you could provide much more motivation than an abstract like destiny, or even a distant goal like facing the Fire Lord.

At least her embarrassment provided him with a little more quiet time as she practiced her new skill. A few hours later, however, Sokka's presumption about Aang proved correct when he came barreling down the beach.

"Katara!" Aang shouted, getting her attention. "Look what I can do!" He cast around for a moment, then walked up to a large rock sitting up the shore a ways, and moved it with earthbending.

"That's great!" Katara complimented, all concerns about Toph's teaching methods apparently forgotten. "I knew you could do it. I've learned something new, too." She proceeded to show him how she could pull water how of the air.

"Awesome!" Aang said, impressed. "Do you think I could learn to do that?"

"Maybe, but I really think you should focus on earthbending for the next few days."

_That settles it; they're both hopeless, _Sokka sighed inwardly. Still, he figured it was easier to deal with them in this awkward, blushy stage than to try and keep them out of each other's sleeping bags. He shuddered a little at that. He could observe that his sister was growing up, but he didn't have to like it.

Author's Note: Okay, that's about as T-rated as I'm likely to get. I made up the waterbending stuff introduced here. I just thought they sounded cool.

Review responses:

Azada: Thanks a lot. My view of romance is that it should be subtle hints, gradually growing the relationship. I hope this chapter didn't go too far for you. I kind of liked the idea of introducing a hormonal Katara.

Ataraia: See above. No, I will be skipping all the remaining canon episodes and doing things my own way. I included Blind Bandit because it made sense. I may use some of the information in other episodes, like details from Zuko's past, and you may see a recycled line of dialogue here and there, but the main plot events will not actually be occurring.

Abc…: Thanks, that was one of my favorite lines as well. It was partially inspired by a line in the book Guardians of the West by David Eddings.

denythefreshmaker: Okay, here's the next chapter. Next one in a week.

Ari-Griffin, MyrmidonGuy, loaned, Brix: No specific comments. Just thank you for reading, and I'm glad you're enjoying it.


	7. Chapter 7: Midnight Conversation

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: For those who haven't read After the Cave, I make the assumption that Aang and Katara didn't actually kiss in the Cave of Two Lovers. My theory is that at least one of them got distracted by the sudden light and broke off just before making contact. This will be kind of important as the story progresses. Review responses are at the end.

I would like to dedicate this chapter to Mako, the late, great voice of Iroh. It's kind of a serious, philosophical one.

**Midnight Conversation**

Aang awoke in the night following his first earthbending lesson to the smell of wood smoke. He frowned and sat up, almost immediately regretting the movement. He stifled a groan as his body protested the ways Toph had made it work today. For the first time, he thought he might actually know how it felt to be 112 years old.

There was a faint whistling sound, which was abruptly stopped. Since Aang didn't think it likely he would find a comfortable position without at least stretching out a little, he decided to get up and investigate. His eyes were adjusting to the darkness of the large storeroom they were all sharing, and he allowed them to sweep across his companions. He noted that one large shape seemed to be missing, and Aang grinned as he guessed what was going on.

Gingerly, Aang stood up, stretched, and picked his way cautiously around the sleeping forms of his companions. He quietly opened the door and exited the building, seeing essentially what he had expected. Iroh was sitting there alone, a short distance away, his new teapot off to the side and one steaming cup resting on the ground before him. The old man saw Aang and smiled.

"You're welcome to join me," Iroh invited him. "I'm sorry if I woke you."

"I'm not sure if it was you," Aang said truthfully. "But once I was awake, it didn't seem possible for me to get comfortable enough to go back to sleep. One day of earthbending managed to strain muscles I didn't even know I had!"

Iroh laughed softly.

"Earth is different from the other elements," he observed.

"That's what Sokka said."

"He's a clever boy. You're lucky to have him on your side. Would you like some tea? It's relaxing chamomile."

"Okay," Aang agreed, seating himself across the way and accepting a cup. "Would you like me to cool that for you?" When Iroh gave a brief nod of consent, Aang concentrated and stirred first Iroh's, then his own cup with small whirls of air.

"Thank you," Iroh said, taking a sip. "It's perfect."

"Ice works faster, but it's harder to control," Aang explained, sipping at his tea as well. The chamomile did seem to soothe his body and mind, and the pair sat in companionable silence for a while. Aang hoped he would soon grow accustomed to the exertions of earthbending. His teachers had determined that he should spend their time on Kyoshi Island learning the basics of that form, so there wouldn't be any more waterbending lessons until their next stop.

Thinking of that reminded Aang of the last lesson he'd had with Katara. He'd been thinking about kissing her, before being reminded they weren't alone. He had been sure she was feeling something, too. So why had she fled right afterward? He might be dense about some things, but he wasn't stupid. Granted, he had been somewhat grateful for the distance she'd put between them right then. He'd felt uncomfortably warm at that moment, despite the chill caused by the breeze evaporating the water from his skin. Eventually, Katara had returned and finished the lesson, but she seemed hesitant to touch him to correct his technique, something that never bothered her before. So was she feeling uncomfortable because she felt the same way he did, or because she didn't? So much of his life was already difficult; couldn't this one thing be simple?

"Is something on your mind, Aang?" Iroh broke the silence, and Aang belatedly realized that some of his thoughts must have shown on his face.

"I was just thinking about Katara," he blurted before he had a chance to consider.

"Ah, yes. You are fortunate to have her as well. She is a talented waterbender."

_I don't have her, _thought Aang. Aloud, he said, "Yes, she is."

"Pretty, too, if I'm any judge."

"She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Aang remembered perfectly the way Katara had looked when he first saw her, after he opened his eyes from his 100-year hibernation. At first, he had thought her a vision. She seemed ethereal, too exquisite to be of the world. His association with her in the elapsed time since had not caused him to revise his initial impression. If anything, he found her even more beautiful now that he knew her.

"Hm. So what makes you look so confused?" Iroh wondered. Aang hesitated, unsure whether to confide in this man he hardly knew or even how to put the issue into words. Ordinarily, he would talk to Katara about things that worried him. In the current circumstances, that was obviously impossible. Sokka was also out, as he had made abundantly clear. Not for the first time since his awakening, Aang missed Gyatso. Perhaps, in his absence, Iroh was the next best thing.

"Well, Katara hasn't said anything, but I think I'm getting close to mastering waterbending," Aang replied, coming at the problem from a different angle.

"So? That's good, isn't it? You still have earth and fire to master."

"Of course it's good. It's just that…I won't be able to spend as much time with her."

"Aang, Katara isn't going anywhere. She will stay with you until your journey's end."

"And after that? I guess what I'm worried about is, what happens when I don't need her anymore?"

"Ah, I see your problem," Iroh said sagely, sipping at his cup again. "You are asking the wrong question."

"What do you mean?"

"I think we both know you'll always need her. So the question you should be asking is, how will you make sure _she_ knows that?"

Aang blinked. The conclusion was so blindingly obvious that he wondered why it hadn't occurred to him before. A moment later, though, he found an obstacle to taking this approach.

"But that would mean…I'd have to tell her…" he trailed off. Part of him wanted desperately to tell Katara how he felt, but another part was just as desperately afraid. That part would rather face an army of firebenders than risk Katara's rejection. A voice in the back of Aang's mind informed him that this was ridiculous, but it didn't change the fact.

"Nothing worthwhile in life comes without risk," Iroh commented, almost as though he'd read Aang's mind. He paused a moment, then added, "We cannot choose when our one great love comes upon us. We can only choose what we do about it."

Aang pondered this. Of course, Iroh was right. If Aang told Katara he loved her, he _might_ lose her, but if he didn't tell her, he _definitely_ would. He might save their friendship, but she would love someone else. Could he live with that?

"I'm only twelve years old!" Aang exclaimed in frustration. "I shouldn't have to be dealing with these things yet!"

"Nor should you have to save the world, or master all the elements in a few months," Iroh reminded him calmly. "I should not have had to watch my son die before me, or see my nephew burned by his own father and then cast aside. Yet, there it is. Life rarely turns out the way you expect."

Aang sensed the deep sadness that the older man was trying to pass off and felt a little guilty for his momentary indulgence in self-pity. Certainly, he might wish that Katara had released him from the ice two years sooner, so they'd at least be the same age and he would have had more time to realize his destiny, but what good did that do? You had to play with the Pai Sho tiles you were given. Aang finished his tea and set the cup down.

Something else Iroh had said reminded Aang that he would soon have to face firebending again. Thoughts of his last, disastrous attempts at that still haunted him. He heaved a great sigh.

"Is there something else?" Iroh wondered.

"I'm a little worried about firebending," Aang admitted.

"Really? Katara indicated you had already had some instruction."

"Yeah, a little. From Master Jeong Jeong." The mention of Katara in connection with firebending caused Aang to feel a familiar pang of remorse. Apparently, the memory didn't bother her as much as it did him.

"Ah," said Iroh, without a trace of judgment about the army deserter. "He is an excellent teacher. What did you learn?"

"Mostly stance and breathing."

"Show me."

Reluctantly, Aang stood and demonstrated the wide-legged stance and the deep breaths. When Iroh nodded that he had seen enough, Aang sat down again.

"It's a start." Noting Aang's expression, Iroh carefully asked, "Did something happen?"

"I was too impatient," Aang confessed, staring at the ground. "I didn't listen and…lost control." He found that he couldn't say aloud that he had burned Katara. It was also the only time he could remember Sokka being truly angry with him. He'd even pushed Aang down, but Aang didn't really mind. He felt he deserved that, and worse. After a silence of several seconds, he glanced up to find Iroh regarding him thoughtfully.

"But you learned your lesson, yes? You will listen now?" Iroh questioned him probingly. Aang nodded miserably. "Well, then, at our next stop, we will begin some of the basic forms. I will not ask you to actually handle fire for…shall we say, two weeks?"

"I think that will be fine," Aang said gratefully. "Thank you, Iroh. For everything." He stood and stretched, beginning to head toward the beach. Something else occurred to him, though, and he turned back. "Would you have stopped it?"

"What?"

"If you had become Fire Lord, would you have stopped the war?"

Iroh was silent for a moment, bravely meeting the Avatar's gaze.

"I don't know," he admitted at last. "I'd like to tell you that I would have, especially after losing my son and seeing all the suffering it's caused. But these things have a certain momentum, a legacy…I really don't know."

Aang nodded, accepting the answer without remark. He appreciated the honesty.

"I'm going to see if I can work some of these kinks out," he said then and walked toward the shore.

This conversation provided some insights into the old firebender's character, and Aang looked at him with new eyes as he reflected on it. He could now see the depth of the man's love for Zuko, how he had taken the boy under his wing as if to replace the son he had lost. Aang saw the way Iroh watched helplessly as Zuko continually pursued the approval of a father who wasn't worthy of such devotion. Clearly, even those in the Fire Nation had suffered as a result of this century of conflict, and it helped Aang renew his determination to end it.

As he found a likely spot and took up a stance, Aang reflected that both Sokka and Iroh readily identified how much he loved Katara. Was it possible that everyone could see his feelings for Katara except her?

He began moving his body through some of the basic forms, trying to stretch his muscles and relieve the ache. After airbending, he shifted to waterbending movements, going through them deliberately. Waterbending, when done slowly and without using water, could lead into a kind of meditative state. Aang allowed his mind to float as his limbs went through the motions almost automatically. He closed his eyes and felt the sand under his feet, heard the roar of the surf, smelled the salt breeze.

When he had finished the third set of waterbending, something in him shifted. He found himself doing earthbending moves instead, taking forms he shouldn't even have known yet but somehow did. He completed that set by bringing his hands together in a gesture of closing. Without warning, he heard a voice he recognized as Kyoshi's ringing in his head.

"Love is always obvious in the third person," she advised him. "Only when it involves you is it difficult to see. Very difficult, indeed." Then she was gone, and Aang opened his eyes to find that he was no longer alone.

Author's Note: Tai chi, on which waterbending is based, is really used as a form of meditation. This chapter's a little short, but I ended up putting so much into that conversation between Aang and Iroh that I didn't really want to get into anything else. On the plus side, the next chapter is about half-done because there's a lot of stuff I was going to include here, so you might get that one early. 

Review responses:

loviegurlie – Thanks! I know this chapter was a little short on the humor, but there will be quite a bit next time.

frozenheat – Glad you liked it. I thought it was time for Katara to start having physical responses. It kind of sets up the next chapter.

Kairuthefrog – Well, friendship's not exactly what I'm going for, but I think you get that. Glad you're enjoying it!

Avatar180 – Always happy to welcome a new reader. Thank you!

Ari-Griffin – Thanks for being a faithful reviewer. Hope you enjoyed this one, though it was a little more serious.

MyrmidonGuy – High praise, indeed. Thank you so much!

xXxEndangeredSpeciesxXx – Dialogue is what jumps into my head most of the time. I know this was more philosophical than funny, but it will get humorous again soon, I promise!

loaned – Yes, he is.  I adore Sokka, and I feel like he doesn't get a fair shake from most fanfic authors. I guess I'm trying to rectify that.


	8. Chapter 8: Awakenings

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: Chapter 7 review responses are at the end. You can take this chapter title any way you like.

**Awakenings**

Katara woke with a sense that something was missing. She sat up and saw a silhouette shutting the door and turning.

"Iroh?" she whispered. The figure started but didn't answer. Katara got up and went over to him, registering that Aang's place was empty.

"What are you doing up?" she asked him when she got closer.

"Old men don't need as much sleep as young people," Iroh answered almost apologetically. "Sorry if I woke you."

"Where's Aang?" It might have been the opening of the door that woke her, but Aang's absence struck her more substantially.

"Out for a walk. By the ocean, I believe."

Katara thanked him quickly and set off. She didn't know why she felt like she had to find Aang at this time of night, but she felt drawn.

It didn't take long to find the boy, running through bending movements on the shore. As Katara neared, she recognized some waterbending forms. Not wanting to disturb him, she approached quietly and sat a short distance away to watch.

Since he'd given his usual monk's clothing to a local seamstress to be altered, Aang was wearing a borrowed outfit, just a simple, gray tunic (that brought out his eye color, Katara had noticed) and leggings. He'd rolled up the leggings to his knees, and he was barefoot. He had also given his boots to a cobbler to see if they could be either expanded or reproduced in a larger size. Since the weather was warm, and he didn't require footwear for his bending lessons, he had decided to simply go without for the time being.

Although Katara could understand Aang's attachment to the traditional airbender costume, she couldn't help but think that it wouldn't hurt for him to expand his wardrobe a little. She particularly liked this color on him, and she wondered if she might convince him to take the outfit with him. The young Avatar seemed to glow from within in the faint moonlight, and Katara enjoyed the rare opportunity to watch his fluid grace without being observed.

Gradually, as she watched him perform the set, he turned toward her. She noticed that his eyes were closed, and his arrow tattoos were beginning to glow. Not blindingly, like in the Avatar State, but a soft bluish, reminiscent of when he walked the spirit world. Suddenly, yet without a noticeable break in his motion, Aang began moving differently. It reminded her of some of the techniques they'd seen at the earthbending tournament. Katara stared, transfixed, until he stopped with his palms pressed together. His arrows faded back to a blue that looked almost gray in the darkness, and his eyes opened, resting on her immediately. He paused only a moment, dropping his hands and relaxing his stance.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her, and Katara wondered if he was embarrassed that she'd been observing him. She knew she was a little embarrassed at being caught watching.

"I…noticed you were gone," Katara began lamely, not sure herself why she had been compelled to join him.

"I'm sorry," Aang jumped in with an apology. "I didn't mean to accuse you of anything. I was just surprised."

"That's okay. What was that part at the end?"

"I'm not sure. I think Avatar Kyoshi was sort of…moving through me. It felt weird, but not in a bad way."

Aang looked away then, giving Katara the impression that he was keeping something from her. This wasn't the first time recently she'd felt that way, and she tried hard not to feel hurt. Certainly, he had as much right to a few secrets as anyone else – maybe more. Aang seated himself near her, but Katara noted that he was moving a little gingerly.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her own feelings forgotten in her concern.

"I'll live," he laughed. "Yesterday's lesson made me really sore, so I was hoping to stretch out and relieve the pain a little. It sort of worked."

"Where does it still hurt?"

"My back and shoulders, mostly."

"Take off your shirt, and turn around," Katara ordered, trying to sound clinical. They were just a healer and patient, right? Right.

As usual, Aang removed his shirt with no hesitation. Katara couldn't remember a time when she was that unself-conscious about her body. Maybe it was because her people lived where it was cold all the time, so they were always bundled up.

Katara bent some of the water from the nearby surf and plunged her hands into it, making it glow. She then spread it across Aang's left shoulder and upper arm, gently working the healing water into his skin and focusing on easing the muscles. When she'd finished that area, Katara gently trailed her fingers along the arrow tattoo that ran down Aang's arm and felt him shiver.

"Are you cold?" she inquired, although the night was warm.

"No," he responded shortly, but his voice sounded a little tight. Maybe she had just tickled him a little. She brought some more water to her, but Aang stopped her. He laid his shirt on the sand and lay facedown on top of it, resting his head on his crossed arms.

"There," he said. "That should make it easier for you." It did make it easier, as he was no longer moving with her. It was probably also easier for him, since he didn't have to push against the pressure of her hands.

Katara continued her work for a while, trying to ignore the little sounds Aang was making in his throat, sometimes indicating pain, and other times pleasure. She focused her attention on the healing she was performing and observing the contrast of her dark skin against his paleness. Finally, she felt like she had done all she could. When she went to ask if he was ready to go back, she realized that he had fallen asleep. Katara sat back on the sand and smiled affectionately at the slumbering boy, marveling that this skinny little kid could make her feel so…so…what, exactly?

Katara frowned, deciding to study him and see if she could figure out what had been happening to her lately. Gazing at his face, features relaxed in sleep, she felt a tug in her chest. If only he could have more moments like this. She swept her eyes down the rest of his body and was surprised to find that her first impulse was to curl up beside him, feel his warmth beside her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to identify what she was feeling.

"What's going on?"

Katara turned her head so sharply her neck cracked. Sokka was standing on the dune above her. She decided not to bother asking what had brought him out here in the middle of the night.

"Aang was sore from earthbending yesterday," she replied calmly. "I offered to heal him, and he fell asleep while I was working." Her brother's raised eyebrow spoke volumes, but she stared courageously back at him, daring him to challenge her.

"So you've just been sitting here watching him sleep?" he asked. "That's kind of creepy."

"It is not," she retorted in a forceful whisper. Then she realized she'd as much as admitted she'd been doing just that and veered off in another direction. "I was just wondering how to get him back to town. I hate to wake him. He's had a hard day."

"You might have been able to lift him," Sokka pointed out. "He's not all that big."

"Look, I've put enough kids to bed in my life to know that they weigh a lot more when they're asleep."

Shrugging, Sokka crouched down beside Aang and looked at him like he was a scientific puzzle.

"I suppose I could give you a hand," he said, resting his arms on the sand. "If you could just roll him this way…." After a little maneuvering, they got Aang into Sokka's arms, one arm supporting Aang's head and shoulders and the other under his knees. "You're right; he's heavier than he looks," he admitted. He spared a glance for the sliver of moon and began walking, Katara following behind.

"How is anyone supposed to sleep with all this traffic?" Toph complained rather loudly as they entered their building.

"Shut up," muttered Zuko, sounding half-asleep and throwing whatever was close to hand in her general direction, which happened to be his hat. It missed completely, since he wasn't looking. Katara tried not to giggle as she helped Sokka get Aang situated into his sleeping place. She fell asleep still puzzling over her relationship with the Avatar.

Aang woke up the next morning feeling disoriented. Light was filtering into the warehouse, and he could see the ceiling above him, but the last thing he remembered was lying on the beach while Katara soothed his aching muscles. He realized that he must have fallen asleep in the process. Aang sat up to find that everyone else was already up and gone. Just as he was getting to his feet, the large door opened.

"Oh, good," said Katara when she spotted him. "You're awake. Everyone else is having breakfast. I thought you could use a little more sleep."

The islanders had been providing meals for the group in a kind of town hall not far away. Aang and Katara had tried to pay them for at least some of their hospitality, but all such offers were politely refused. As far as Aang was concerned, this was another reason not to stay very long. He didn't want to abuse their generosity.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep on you last night," Aang apologized.

"That's okay," she smiled back at him. "You were exhausted. How do you feel today?"

He hadn't really stopped to think about it, but now that she mentioned it, he felt quite good.

"A lot better. You've got great hands," he said, then his eyes widened as he realized how that might have sounded. "I mean, healing hands. I mean, you're a great healer! Yeah, that's what I meant, and, um, I hardly ache at all now, so, um, thanks."

"You're welcome," Katara replied slowly, and she was looking at Aang like he'd grown a second head. He was mentally kicking himself for sounding like such an idiot.

"I'll catch up with everyone in just a minute," he told her, wanting to be alone for a moment to collect himself. She nodded and left. Aang quickly pulled his tunic on and went over to the nearest wall.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," he muttered to himself, banging his head against the wall with each repetition.

"You know, if you're planning to do that every time you make a fool of yourself for a girl, you're going to get a very sore head."

Aang turned his head, still in contact with the wood structure, and saw Sokka standing in the doorway looking amused.

"Is it that obvious?" Aang wondered.

"Let's just say I appreciate the sentiment." Sokka walked over to his things and retrieved his boomerang.

"Does it happen a lot?"

"We're guys, Aang. Looking like idiots in front of girls is kind of what we do."

Aang turned around, put his back to the wall, and slid down it dejectedly.

"Well, that's depressing."

"At least it only seems to last until we get married. Then we can stop."

"What? How? Why?"

"I don't know. It's a mystery." Sokka paused, then gave Aang's arm a companionable nudge with his elbow. "You'd better come and eat. I have a feeling you'll need your strength today. Toph's already fuming about getting a late start. Katara argued that you didn't sleep well last night and needed more rest. I have to get back before they start a bending fight over you."

With that, he was gone. The thought of two girls fighting over him sounded ludicrous to Aang, let alone a bending battle. He was surprised, therefore, to find that Sokka's prediction wasn't all that far off. Of course, they were really fighting over teaching him, and it didn't appear that they'd gone as far as bending (more like a food fight, from the looks of things), but it was still a bit of a shock. Zuko and Iroh had already made themselves scarce. Sokka stood there brandishing his boomerang, a useless gesture, since it was completely wasted on Toph and Katara didn't fear him.

As soon as Aang stepped into the room, the two girls stopped whatever they had been doing. Katara wordlessly handed Aang a plate of fruit, nuts, and biscuits that she had apparently preserved from the chaos. He began to eat, just as quietly. Toph sat with her arms crossed, tapping a foot impatiently. If she could see, Aang had no doubt she'd be glaring, either at him, Katara, or both. Katara had the grace to look ashamed of herself. She opened her mouth to say something, reconsidered, and shut it again. Instead, she stood up and allowed Momo to settle himself on her shoulder. She then simply turned and left, presumably to get cleaned up.

_It's going to be a long day,_ Aang thought as he bolted his food more quickly than was probably healthy.

Author's Note: Sokka's line "I don't know. It's a mystery." is from Shakespeare in Love. I love that line, and it seemed appropriate. And since I know several males are following this story, I do hope no one is offended by my comments about guys. I genuinely adore men, and I'm just trying to be funny, though I suspect even my husband would agree with my assessment.

Oh, and don't worry that I'll slip into some Tophaang here. The cat-fight was due to Katara's over-protectiveness and Toph's spoiled-child need to have things her way. I hope no one's disappointed you didn't get to see it.

Review responses:

xenus: Thanks! Glad you found this story and are enjoying it. I only wish I had so many reviews. On the bright side, I seem to get more each chapter.

loaned: Yeah, I like Iroh, too. He's a great tool as a writer because you can figure he knows a lot of stuff and has wisdom.

Piper Aurora Potter: So glad you've decided to read my stuff after I reviewed yours. I didn't make you wait too long, did I?

frozenheat: Glad to hear it. I must have rewritten that conversation four times, trying to decide how much to include and making sure they were both in character.

abcdefg…: ditto frozenheat comment above.

Ari-Griffin: Thanks! I'm starting to get into some of your work as well.

MyrmidonGuy: Thank you! And thank you for giving me the original inspiration to write this. I'm probably enjoying it at least as much as my readers.


	9. Chapter 9: Introspection

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: Chapter 8 review responses are at the end. In the portion of Aang's earthbending lesson we see here, think Whack-a-Mole. This chapter spends a lot of time in Katara's head because her journey of discovery seems most important right now.

_I don't know about you guys, but we are the weirdest herd I have ever seen._

--Sid the Sloth, Ice Age

**Introspection**

Katara sat on a rock, watching Aang's earthbending lesson. It was now his third day of training in that element, and she had to admit he was progressing well. He'd told her that the hardest thing was learning the attitude of an earthbender. Once he had that, everything else was relatively easy.

Toph and Katara had managed to call a truce the previous evening, which was the reason Katara was now allowed to observe, as long as she remained quiet and out of the way. Katara chafed a little at these limitations, but she gladly accepted them to be close to Aang. She still didn't understand it, but being out of his presence for more than a few hours caused an emptiness inside her that was almost a physical ache.

Toph had also agreed to permit others from the island to come as spectators for the first time, primarily the children. Katara glanced over at the group some distance away. Momo flitted among the kids, gladly accepting the treats some of them offered. It was a good thing they were leaving at first light tomorrow, or Katara suspected the little lemur would quickly become fat. They were already pushing a little beyond their three-day limit, since they'd arrived in the early evening on their first day and wouldn't technically be leaving until the fifth. Still, it made sense to give Aang three entire days of learning, and they probably wouldn't be able to reach the mainland before dark if they took off that late in the day.

Katara returned her attention to the teacher and student.

"Okay, Twinkle-toes," Toph was saying in her authoritative voice. "See how fast you can respond." She began sending narrow pillars of earth up about four feet in random locations. They only stayed up for a couple of seconds before receding back into the ground. Aang was not supposed to dodge them, which was his instinct as an airbender. He was supposed to predict where each one would come up and shove it back down.

Being able to watch Aang's training was something of a dilemma to Katara. She got to see him, but it was hard sometimes to sit still with some of the things Toph did. Her style of teaching was a lot rougher than Katara's, and the waterbender frequently caught herself gasping in alarm.

_When did I become so protective? _she wondered.

_Probably right after you met him._

Katara considered this. Certainly, she had leapt unhesitatingly to catch Aang as he slid down the icy slope at the South Pole, despite her brother's warnings. She now understood that the Avatar State had been keeping Aang alive inside the iceberg, and his collapse was the result of it letting him go. Maybe her desire to protect him really had begun then, at the very beginning.

Her current situation was kind of ironic, when she thought about it. A little while ago, Katara was wishing for another girl to talk to. Toph – aggressive, argumentative, and decidedly rough around the edges – was not exactly what she'd had in mind. The two girls seemed to erupt into hostilities at the slightest provocation. Most of the time, it was over teaching Aang. The person she had hoped to welcome as a companion had instead become a kind of rival for his time. Her father used to say that the definition of trouble was two women under the same roof. Katara was beginning to think he was right, even when there was no roof involved.

_You're in love with him, _whispered an annoying voice in her mind.

_What? I am not. That's ridiculous._

_Yes, you are._

_No, I'm not._

_How would you know?_

That thought brought Katara up short. How _would_ she know? She frowned as she considered the question. She understood familial love, of course, but romantic love was something else entirely. Gran-Gran had once told her that love represented attraction in four dimensions: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual.

Physical…she remembered the other night on the beach, when she had wanted to curl up next to him. She also couldn't forget the waterbending lesson that had made her feel so hot and strange.

_Not to mention the fact that you're wishing he would take his shirt off again._

_Shut up! _Katara thought furiously at herself, but she could feel her face heating up. _I am not!_

However, the voice was right. Despite the fact that there was little to remark in Aang's torso – just the barest suggestion of the muscle definition he would probably attain in two or three years – she still wanted to see it. In the absence of other exposed flesh, her eyes kept drifting to his calves, following the way they tensed and relaxed with his movements.

_I must be going crazy,_ she decided.

"_Love is merely a madness…"_

_Great. You're going to quote dead poets to me now?_

"…_and the reason why it is not…punished and cured is, that the lunacy is so ordinary…"_

_Who are you, anyway?_

_I'm that little voice in your head that tells you things you don't really want to hear._

_What good is that?_

_Sometimes, the things you don't want to hear are the things you most need to know._

_So why do you sound kind of like Sokka?_

_You're used to him telling you things you don't want to hear. And like me, he's usually right._

The smug undertone in this last statement was highly irritating, and it was that much worse to know that this was actually a part of her. In any case, Katara supposed that the question of physical attraction had been settled. She skipped emotional, deciding that would probably be the hardest to determine.

Intellectual bonding was definitely there. They talked about anything and everything.

_Well, almost everything_, she amended mentally. Obviously, she hadn't talked to him about this. Anyway, she was always amazed at how much he knew from his world travels and never lost interest in their conversations.

Spiritual attraction was hard to define, yet this was one Katara was sure of. She had felt an instant connection to the young Avatar from the day they met, and Gran-Gran had told her their lives were intertwined. Now, in retrospect, she recognized that her insistence on going after Aang when he had surrendered to Prince Zuko went beyond simple concern for a life she'd touched. It probably even went farther than seeing him as the key to changing the world.

So, she had answered yes to three out of four, which brought her back to the emotional dimension. This was where Katara was the most confused. She cared about him, certainly. She was also aware that her level of caring had deepened and broadened in the time they'd known each other. She had even as much as said that she loved him, though she had meant as a friend. At least, she'd _thought_ that was how she meant it.

Katara closed her eyes, breathed deeply, then opened them again. Maybe she needed to get away for a little while to sort this out. Besides, it was awfully hard to concentrate on her feelings for Aang when he was just about to get flattened by a rolling boulder. She bit her tongue in her effort not to cry out. Aang stopped the boulder, but Katara was convinced that she had seen enough earthbending for one day.

Aang caught movement out of the corner of his eye and called out to Toph.

"Hey, Toph, hold on a minute."

"Tired already, Twinkle-toes?"

"No, just give me a second." Then, he turned to address Katara. "Are you leaving?" he asked, trying not to sound disappointed. She flashed him that smile that always made him feel like his legs wouldn't support him anymore.

"I'm going to take advantage of our last day here and have a nice, hot bath," she replied cheerfully. "Who knows when I'll get another chance?"

Aang swallowed hard and tried not to think too much about that as he resumed his lesson.

_I'm in love with the Avatar. I'm in love with the Avatar. I am in love with the Avatar. _The thought pounded through Katara's brain like a mantra as their group rode Appa's back to the mainland, loaded with good wishes and supplies. She wasn't sure whether she thought the repetitions would make her believe it or make it somehow seem less real, but she was strongly beginning to suspect the latter.

"You've been awfully quiet, Sugar Queen," Toph addressed Katara in the nickname she'd selected for reasons the waterbender couldn't fathom. In fact, it seemed to be her habit to assign her own titles to people. She had dubbed Sokka "Snoozles" and Zuko "Sourpuss." Iroh was the only member of their group she addressed by name. "Is something wrong?"

This caused Sokka to look at his sister more closely.

"Yeah, are you okay?" he asked her. "You look kind of sick."

_Yeah, lovesick, _she thought ruefully. Aloud, she said, "I'm fine. I'm just thinking." She turned away from the piercing blue that appeared to be gazing disbelievingly at her. Katara was spared any further questions by Aang calling out from Appa's head.

"I see land. Do we know where we're heading yet?" As he said this, he cast a concerned glance over his shoulder at Katara. She smiled back at him as best she could.

Aang was back in his air monk attire, re-sized to give him a little growing room. The cobbler had managed to stretch the boots a little, but since he didn't think that would buy very much time, he'd also provided Aang with a larger pair of the calf boots favored by Earth Kingdom men. As a compromise, the new boots had been outfitted with tight laces to prevent them from falling off when Aang took to the air. Since Earth Kingdom people tended to keep their feet firmly on the ground, they didn't need shoes to fit that tightly. Most of these items had been overseen and negotiated by Katara, who had found herself somewhat at loose ends during their stay on the island.

"I know a place where there's water and plenty of space for earthbending and firebending," Katara spoke up, an idea forming in her mind. "There's even a scenic volcano nearby."

"No way," Sokka flatly refused. "I am _not_ going back to Aunt Wu's village."

"Who's Aunt Wu?" Zuko and Toph asked at the same time.

"Just a crazy fortune-teller who rules a village with her mystical nonsense," Sokka jumped back in before Aang or Katara could provide a different description. "Besides, what if one of these guys sets off the volcano again?"

"You travel with the Avatar, yet you doubt the validity of mysticism?" Iroh sounded amused. Sokka shrugged easily.

"What can I say? I'm a pragmatist _and_ a skeptic."

"That seems to remind me of someone," Iroh mused, casting a significant, yet affectionate, glance toward his nephew. Zuko merely grunted irritably.

"Just find some open, unpopulated area," Toph directed, having realized that the others had sidetracked and Aang was still awaiting instructions. "We've got supplies to last us a while, and we should probably avoid towns as much as we can."

Sokka looked at the blind earthbender with a certain grudging respect at that, clearly approving her thinking. Katara was just glad that the conversation had turned away from her preoccupation, though she was a little disappointed to not be able to see Aunt Wu. Even if she couldn't get a fortune, Katara could use a little advice. That only left her with the members of their party to confide in, and Aang was disqualified for obvious reasons.

Toph? Not likely. Not only were they not on very good terms at the moment, but she'd never even had a friend before. What could she possibly know about love?

Katara discarded Zuko almost before thinking of him. They had scarcely exchanged a dozen words during the time they'd been traveling together, so it hardly seemed the time to be pouring her heart out to him.

Sokka? Well, maybe as a last resort. The thought of having such an intimate conversation with her brother was more than a little awkward. Though Katara recognized that Sokka might have some valuable insights and would probably not tease her TOO much, it wasn't a first choice.

Iroh? Katara thought this over carefully. The older firebender was a definite possibility. He had a fatherly quality about him along with an air of wisdom. Surely, he'd been in love before and could advise her. After a little more reflection, she resolved to find an opportunity to speak with him alone.

Author's Note: The "Love is a madness" line is from Shakespeare's As You Like It. Great play! Rosalind says it while pretending to be a boy who claims he can cure Orlando of his love for her. Talk about crazy! Apparently, I'm on a bit of Shakespeare kick.

I've seen people say they have trouble seeing Aang in a sexual way because of his age. However, my husband assures me that 12-year-old boys are becoming quite…sexually aware. Not only that, but certain parts of the body are starting to work better than is strictly convenient. That's all I'm going to say on that, but I thought it important to note that I do view sexuality as being a part of Aang's character.

Review responses:

Thank you to Kairuthefrog, Nuclear Kitty, Dark Hearted Angel99, and xenus for your support.

MyrmidonGuy: I always find comedy funniest when it's true.

loaned: That line of Sokka's was sort of an add-on at the last stage. Glad you liked it.

frozenheat and xXxEndangeredSpeciesxXx: Here's my secret to keeping everyone in character. When I write dialogue, I close my eyes and imagine the characters saying the lines. If I can hear them, and maybe even see some body language and facial expressions, I figure I must have it right.

EphemeralMist: Yes, there is a lot of poorly written Kataang, along with a surfeit of Zutara fans. I actually have thousands of hits, so I'm not too upset that people aren't reviewing. I often find that the subtle approach can be more titillating. My view of romance is the slow and steady building of the relationship, bringing them together at the end. Of course, because they're teenagers, you do have to deal with the sexual aspect, and it can be a challenge to write that delicately and realistically at the same time.


	10. Chapter 10: Illuminations

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: Chapter 9 review responses are at the end. We get to see Iroh's point of view for the first time! And my husband would like me to mention that he was grabbing me while I was trying to write the first portion of this chapter. Don't ask me why; he's weird. He also suggested that a disembodied voice shout "Tell her you love her!" to Aang, per denythefreshmaker's review for Chapter 7.

**Illuminations**

Iroh was surprised when the young waterbender, Katara, approached him after he had given Aang his second firebending lesson.

"Um, Iroh?" she said nervously. "Can I talk to you for a minute? Privately?"

Intrigued, Iroh nodded and waved off his nephew, who was expecting his own lesson. Zuko would probably fume for a while, but he'd get over it. Katara led Iroh back to their campsite. Sokka was the only one there, except for the two animals.

"Could you give us a little privacy?" Katara asked her brother pointedly, in a tone that indicated it was not a question. Sokka gave her a long-suffering expression and threw his arms into the air.

"Fine, just kick me out of my own campsite," he said, standing up. "I should go hunting anyway. It would be nice to have some fresh meat."

As he went off into a nearby grove of ash trees, Katara began building up the campfire. Iroh obliged her by lighting it, and she bent some water into a kettle and set it to boil.

"I have jasmine tea," she told him. "I think that's your favorite?"

Iroh raised a curious eyebrow at her and smiled.

"Do you want something?"

"Just a little advice, maybe," she replied with a small smile.

"I'll do what I can. Shall we make ourselves comfortable?" They both sat down. Katara fidgeted anxiously. Now that she had him here, she didn't seem to know how to begin. Iroh regarded her patiently.

"It's just…I wonder…you've been in love before, right?" she began at last.

"Once or twice," he said cautiously.

"Well, what I'm wondering is, how did you know? I mean, how can you tell?"

"I take it this isn't merely idle speculation?" Iroh suggested, trying not to betray any reaction. If she was saying what he thought, Aang's outlook was promising indeed. However, he would have to proceed carefully.

"No, I mean, I've considered the possibility that I might be…but I have no idea what it would feel like, the signs to look for."

The teakettle whistled its readiness. Iroh used the distraction to weigh his answer. He removed the kettle from the heat and poured the water over the prepared tea leaves to steep.

"Love can affect people in different ways," he started. "The main thing that always seems constant is that you care about someone else more than you care about yourself. You would gladly sacrifice something of yours to spare them. Their pain is your pain, and their happiness is your happiness." Katara nodded thoughtfully but said nothing. Iroh left her to her thoughts for a moment, as he considered how far he might push her.

"Then, there's what I call the 'one great love,'" he added, checking for the girl's reaction. She seemed both curious and a little fearful.

"What is that?"

"Well, not everyone believes in it, my nephew for one," Iroh replied, handing her a cup of tea. Katara impatiently waved him to continue. "My own theory is that everyone comes into the world broken."

"Broken? What do you mean?" Katara asked, clearly very interested. Iroh looked around and grasped a stick of firewood that lay beside him and broke it in half.

"Look at this stick," he instructed, showing her the rough edges of one half where it had split. "We are like this, broken, with jagged edges inside, except we don't know we're broken. We feel perfectly fine, until we find the person who completes us." He put the two halves together, indicating how all the shattered pieces matched up to make the stick appear whole again. "Only then do you realize how incomplete you were before. Each person's strengths balance the weaknesses of the other, and if you must be separated, you notice the lack."

Katara's eyes widened as he made this speech, and she suddenly jumped up and began pacing. Iroh calmly allowed her to finish her line of thought.

"Earth, air, and water," she swore softly, still pacing.

"What, no fire?" he asked archly. That got Katara to stand still for a moment and cast him a rueful glance.

"Where I come from, to swear by fire is the worst possible curse."

"Yes, I suppose it would be," Iroh responded, feeling a sudden sadness come over him. Trying to push it aside, he inquired, "Do you think this has happened to you?"

"I think it's possible," she conceded, after a pause.

"Excellent!" Iroh could not hide his gladness at this. He was surprised, therefore, when Katara whirled on him, angry.

"Excellent? How can you say it's excellent?"

"Isn't it?" Iroh returned, retreating into his former caution. "Many people go through their lives without ever experiencing this. You are fortunate to find it so young." The girl's anger appeared to evaporate as quickly as it had flared.

"I suppose, when you put it that way, but it's…it's…"

"Inconvenient?"

"Very."

"It usually is."

Katara paced a while longer before settling back to the ground.

"I can't tell him," she announced, looking off to the side. "He has so many burdens already. I can't add another."

Iroh observed her for a long moment. He admired her strength of character, and it occurred to him that the Avatar had made an excellent choice.

"Perhaps you should consider something," Iroh gently interrupted her reverie. "If you tell him, and he does not feel the same, it will be an added burden, true. But suppose he _does_ feel the same? In that case, you would be removing one from him instead."

Katara looked sharply at him, as though this had never occurred to her.

"How could that be?"

"Well, if he is truly your other half, it follows that you would also be his."

"But, how can he be broken? He's the Avatar!" Katara gasped as she realized she had finally completely confessed. She seemed relieved when Iroh expressed no surprise.

"Certainly, but each life is a distinct individual."

"I…I just don't know."

"I understand that this is a difficult thing for you to accept so young," Iroh acknowledged. "For both of you, perhaps. Just think about it."

"I will," she promised.

Over the next week or so, the companions fell into a routine: firebending in the morning, earthbending in the middle of the day, and waterbending in the evening, with travel at intervals in between. This schedule was particularly grueling for Aang, who was the only one that had to be present for every lesson. Consequently, Katara or Sokka would usually take the reins while they flew to give Aang a mental and physical break.

Katara worried that Aang might be pushing himself too hard. She understood the need for urgency, and she could appreciate his dedication, but she also saw the way he collapsed every night, falling into deep sleep almost as soon as he lay down. She supposed she could be grateful he no longer seemed troubled by dreams, but she wondered how long he could keep up this pace.

One evening, Aang seemed unusually distracted as they were working on his waterbending.

"I think that's enough for today," Katara announced. "Why don't we sit and talk for a little while?" Aang looked surprised at first, but his expression quickly changed to one of gratitude. That gave Katara a fluttery feeling in her stomach that was becoming all too familiar. Aang air-dried them both, and they dressed and seated themselves on the riverbank.

"Is something bothering you?" she asked him, once they were comfortably settled, facing one another.

"Actually, yes," he admitted with a sigh. "Tomorrow's the day Iroh will be asking me to wield actual fire for the first time."

"You're worried?"

"Not so much worried as…scared, I guess."

"About what?" Katara was genuinely confused. Aang looked at her in astonishment.

"I just can't forget what happened last time," he said, lowering his gaze. All of a sudden, Katara got it. How could she not have noticed that he'd never attempted to manipulate fire since? In the excitement over learning about her healing ability, she had honestly almost forgotten that Aang had burned her. She felt terrible that she'd failed to realize how much that had affected him, but she had a chance now to make it right.

"Give me your hands," she ordered, offering her own to him. Aang tilted his head at her questioningly. "Do you trust me?" she challenged. Unhesitatingly, he placed his hands in hers, and she tried to ignore the tingle she felt at the contact.

Katara felt a surge of love – she could no longer deny it – at this display of his faith in her. She also felt a little guilty about having pulled that trick, since she'd been fairly certain what his response would be, but she thought this was important. She looked down at the tattoos on his hands.

"That must really have hurt," she commented, wondering why she'd never considered before the extent of pain he must have endured to be so marked.

"It did," he confessed. "Mostly afterward, though."

"Really?" Katara knew she was allowing herself to get distracted, but she was truly curious.

"Yeah. After the first few needles go in, your body kind of goes into shock, and you don't feel the rest. The next day, I could hardly move, though."

"Why did you get so much?"

"I don't know," Aang shrugged. "It just seemed like the right pattern at the time."

_Symmetry,_ Katara thought. He may not have known he was the Avatar then, but a part of him had an inkling of the balance he would one day represent to the world.

"You know, you could actually say that your hands are more scarred than mine," she said, returning to the topic at hand. To illustrate this, she turned their joined hands over to reveal her unblemished skin. "Maybe we need to lose control of our abilities once or twice. Maybe it happens for a reason. After all, if I hadn't lost control of _my_ bending, Sokka and I might never have found you."

"_That's _what happened?" Aang sounded surprised. Katara realized that she had never told him this part of the story. Not so astonishing, once she thought about it. Her temper played a key role, and it was not her favorite feature.

"Yes," she replied. "I was angry with Sokka for, well, a lot of stupid things, really. I lost my temper, and my out-of-control bending cracked the iceberg."

Aang just looked at her in amazement. Katara laughed a little.

"You know, that's almost exactly the expression Sokka had on his face when it happened. Anyway, if I hadn't lost control then, we might not have the hope of saving the world from Fire Lord Ozai now. And if you hadn't lost control of firebending once, I may never have learned I had the power to heal."

Aang looked as though he wanted to disagree with her, but then he reconsidered and smiled broadly. To Katara, it was as bright as though midday had inexplicably returned to their little piece of the world, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Thanks, Katara," he said instead. "I think I needed to hear that." Unable to restrain herself any longer, Katara pulled him into a quick hug. It also forced her to let go of his hands, which she was afraid she might not be able to do otherwise. When she pulled back, she grinned at Aang mischievously.

"I seem to remember a wise bender once telling me that, to be a bender, you have to let go of fear," she teased him.

"I did say that, didn't I?' he remarked with a sheepish grin of his own. "I guess I should take my own advice."

The pair found that no more needed to be said. They simply sat there in companionable silence for a while longer and watched the sun set.

Sokka woke in the night and walked to the top of a hill. He didn't know what had awakened him, usually a very deep sleeper, but he felt almost summoned here. He sat down on the ground and looked at the nearly-full moon. At last, he spoke his thoughts aloud.

"Yue, I need you to let me go. I loved you. I guess part of me always will. But I'm still here, and you're…well, unreachable." He paused, feeling a little silly and wondering exactly what he thought he was doing. "I just wish there was some way you could show me it was okay to move on. A sign, or something."

Of course, that was impossible. Princess Yue could see half the earth right now, and there was no way she could know he was trying to talk to her. Just then, though, a strange, wispy cloud floated in front of the glowing orb. Sokka frowned; he hadn't seen any clouds at all when he'd first arrived here. The moon seemed to glow more brightly through the ragged shape. Curious, Sokka looked down at the ground, where the moonlight was falling in slender beams through the cloud's shadow. To his surprise, he found what looked for all the world like a single, written symbol: "go."

Author's Note: Since they use Asian characters in the show, I thought this last bit might actually work. It might be a little farfetched, but it seemed such a beautiful scene when it popped into my head. If you don't like it, well, at least it's short.

Review responses:

Thank you to Ari-Griffin, icefire108, and avatarkataang for your support.

MyrmidonGuy and frozenheat: Thanks you guys! It seems like every time I'm afraid a chapter is kind of slow and not that interesting, one or both of you claims it as a favorite, so I'm glad!

xenus: Well, the voice-in-your-head thing didn't originate with me, but I think I handled it creatively. Glad you liked it!

xXxEndangeredSpeciesxXx: Yes, I love Shakespeare! That arguing in her head just popped into my mind, and I had to use it.

Kairuthefrog: I don't really remember much about 12-year-olds when I was that age, but I do remember a few relationships kicking off.

SilvrImage: I'm impressed you could read all of it in essentially one sitting! I surprised myself when I realized how long it had become. I think I can close it out with about 14 chapters, but we'll see.

SnakeEyes16: I'm glad you found it, too. You might say I decided to write this because I love the Kataang ship and it didn't seem there was enough high-quality work in that category. It's grown since I started, but I'm still glad I'm doing this.

denythefreshmaker: Watch your language:) Hey, Iroh's getting food and jasmine tea in compensation. If they find him a woman, he'll have just about everything he wants out of life.


	11. Chapter 11: Breakthroughs & Discoveries

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: Chapter 10 review responses are at the end. Please read the end notes because I'm asking for some reader input. This may seem to have some things from Secret of the Fire Nation in it, but I promise I came up with practically everything in the rest of the story before I read the spoilers. I was just influenced enough to add a few details here and there.

**Breakthroughs and Discoveries**

_That's the great thing about love – it levels the playing field. Anyone can be humiliated._

--Louis Gardino, Due South

The following morning, Iroh went with Zuko to a barren, rocky area not far from their camp to keep his daily appointment with Aang. Toph was already there as well, munching on a peach and lounging casually, as though preparing to enjoy a show. Zuko sat down near, if not exactly beside her.

"Where are the other two?" Iroh asked.

"Katara and I thought this might be easier for me if she wasn't here," Aang told him. "I guess she took Sokka with her." Iroh was beginning to suspect exactly what had happened the last time Aang played with fire, and he appreciated the current arrangement. Now seemed like as good a time as any to tell the boy something he'd been thinking about for a while.

"You know, you aren't going to find another girl like that if you search for another hundred years," he commented. Aang looked at him as though he had just said something painfully obvious. And from the young Avatar's perspective, Iroh supposed he had.

"I know," Aang said simply. Then he grinned. "I had to sleep for a hundred years just to find this one!"

"Isn't there a legend about that?" Toph interjected.

"Yes, there's a story that an Earth Kingdom princess was cursed by a witch and had to sleep for a hundred years, until awakened by the kiss of her true love," Iroh told her. "Nonsense, of course. There's no such thing as witches."

"Uncle!" Zuko growled. "Could you get on with it?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Iroh tried to placate his impatient nephew and turned back to his pupil. "Firebending comes from the breath, but it is fueled by emotions, especially anger."

"Anger?" Aang seemed nervous all over again.

"Yes, is there a problem?"

"Well, it's just that, I don't get angry very often. I mean, _really_ angry. But when I do…" Aang made an expansive gesture with his hands. "I go all…Avatar." Iroh lifted his eyebrows and had to force down a surge of fear. He had seen the Avatar State a time or two, and he was not at all interested in being the cause if it surfaced again.

"Is that what triggers it?" he asked curiously.

"It's a little more complicated than that, but basically, yes."

"Hm," Iroh considered. "Of course, if you can learn to channel your anger into firebending, it's possible you will have less need of the Avatar State."

"I never thought of that!" Aang brightened immediately. "I guess it might work that way. Okay, I'm ready."

"Take your stance and breathe. Focus on the air moving in and out. Don't close your eyes!" he added, as Aang had done so in order to concentrate. "You'll need them shortly." He ignored the snort from Toph at that.

"Okay, now choose a breath," Iroh went on, after allowing Aang to fall into a rhythm. He looked to make sure that he and the two spectators were well out of the way. "As you breathe in, gather your energy. When you breathe out, put that energy into making a small fire in your right hand."

Aang followed these instructions. Taking a deep breath, he focused on his right hand as he exhaled. Nothing happened, and he frowned in frustration.

"You must let go of fear," Iroh advised him. To his surprise, the boy in front of him burst out laughing. "Did I say something amusing?"

"Not exactly," Aang explained. "It's just that Katara reminded me last night that I told her the exact same thing right after we met." He recovered himself. "I think I can do this now." He held his right hand open in front of him, took a breath, and shot a three-foot jet of flame into a rock formation twenty yards in front of him.

"Um, oops?" he laughed nervously.

"Very good," Iroh replied calmly. "You can make fire. Now, let's work on control."

Two hours later, Aang was able to create a fire at will, exactly the size he wanted it. However, there was still the question of emotion to deal with. Clearly, Aang was not adept at controlling his emotions, and that was cause for concern. Iroh felt that Katara would inspire the strongest feelings, and he needed to see how Aang would respond to that in terms of firebending.

"Why don't you invite Katara to watch tomorrow?" he suggested casually.

"Yeah, I will!" Aang said excitedly. As Iroh had hoped, he took to the idea immediately and with no suspicions. "I think she'd like to see this."

"Good. We'll continue then. If you keep progressing at this pace, I should be able to train you and Zuko at the same time before too long."

"Uncle!" Zuko shouted, leaping to his feet. "You can't be serious!"

"Are you questioning my judgment?" Iroh's tone was mild, but there was a hint of steel underneath.

"Of course not," Zuko retreated slightly under his uncle's sharp gaze. "It's just that I've been training my whole life. How could he possibly be up to my level in a few weeks?"

"He is the Avatar. He has already mastered all the elements a thousand times. In a way, he only needs to be reminded of things he already knows. Besides, he must achieve mastery by the end of summer, so he will. In the end, we all do what we must."

"I don't even know what that is anymore," Zuko complained.

"Oh, sit down, Sourpuss," Toph instructed. She banged on the ground and knocked the prince's feet out from under him. He landed unceremoniously on his rear end and glared at the girl. Iroh chose to ignore all of this.

"When the time comes, you will know what to do," he gently told his nephew. "Now, are you ready to have your lesson?" Zuko nodded and stood up again, carefully watching Toph for any sign of foul play. The earthbender, however, was also rising.

"That makes it my turn, Twinkle-toes," said Toph with an evil grin. "Iroh is much too easy on you. I hope you're ready for some _real_ work." Aang cast an almost pleading look at Iroh, but the old man just shrugged helplessly. The Avatar sighed and went off to face his next ordeal.

"So, why are we doing this again?" Sokka wondered aloud as he went off into the woods that lined the river near which they'd set up camp.

"I wanted to help Aang by being out of the way during his lesson this morning," Katara explained patiently. "We could use some fresh fruits and vegetables, anyway. You're coming because I don't think any of us should go wandering off alone. There are a few villages nearby, which means there might be wanted posters."

"In that case, hold up a minute," Sokka told her. He bent down to the ground, pulled some twine out of the bag he wore over his shoulder, and began to set up a few snares. As he worked, he decided to bring up a subject that had been on his mind a lot lately. "You know, I've been wanting to tell you that there is one time I was glad you didn't listen to me."

"Only one time?"

"Very funny. I know you hardly ever listen, but the only time I'm happy about is when you broke Aang out of that ice."

"Well, yeah," Katara said in a tone that indicated this should be obvious. "He's going to save the world."

"You really believe that, don't you?" Sokka paused in his work to ask.

"Of course. I always have," Katara looked at him strangely, almost as though she didn't recognize him. "Don't you?"

"I guess, but you know me," he shrugged, returning to his task. "I never object to a backup plan. Anyway, that's not why."

"What? Why else could it be?"

"After Mom died, you got really quiet and serious. That's when you started practicing waterbending every day. It was like you forgot how to be a kid."

"So did you," Katara accused, crossing her arms. Sokka stood from his last snare and gave a rueful grimace.

"I guess we both lost our childhood that day," he acknowledged. "But it was different for me. When Dad and the others left, I was the only warrior our village had. I felt like I had a responsibility to become a man because there was no other choice. There were plenty of women, though; you didn't have to become one of them yet.

"Then we found Aang. Right away, you started smiling and laughing again. These last few months, in spite of all the dangers and running for our lives, I don't think I've ever seen you happier. So whatever else happens, Aang gave me my sister back. I'll never forget that."

"Oh, Sokka," Katara exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck. In his own mind, Sokka was letting her go again, preparing for her to end up with Aang, but he couldn't tell how much of that she understood. He'd been watching her pretty closely over the past week, and he'd noticed that something in her had been gradually changing. When she was apart from Aang, she wore a sort of perplexed and lost look. When they were together, she looked at the Avatar with a longing expression Sokka knew well.

"So, on with the foraging," Sokka said when she released him. "With luck, we'll also have some trapped animals by the time we get back."

The siblings walked amiably through the woods, collecting berries and edible roots, leaves, and flowers. Suddenly, Katara stood still, listening.

"Did you hear something?" she asked.

"Wha --" was all Sokka had time for before a figure jumped out of the bushes beside him and knocked him over. His reflexes took over, countering his assailant's moves while the back of his mind recognized that this all felt somewhat familiar. Instinctively, he dug one hip into the ground, wrapped the opposite leg around the other person, and rolled, ending up on top of the girl who'd attacked him.

"Suki!" he exclaimed in surprise. She wasn't wearing her warrior makeup, but he'd recognize that fighting style anywhere.

"Hi, Sokka," she said breathlessly. Her eyes seemed to be almost laughing at him, though they also showed a certain grudging respect. "You've gotten better."

"So have you," he returned. "You're really pretty without your makeup." He winced at having been so blunt, but she smiled cheerfully enough.

"Thanks. Do you think you could get off me now?"

"Oh, right. Sorry," Sokka mumbled, blushing as he rolled to the side and allowed the girl to stand. She brushed herself off. Her six warriors were simply standing around, apparently having broken off the attack when they recognized Katara. One or two of them appeared wet, however, indicating that it may have taken a few seconds for mutual recognition to take place.

"So, Suki, what are you all doing here?" Katara asked, though the familiar gleam in her eye told Sokka he would be in for some serious teasing later. "We're not that close to the battlefront, are we?"

"Oh, no," Suki assured her. "Our unit heard rumors of some kind of machine terrorizing a couple of villages in this area, so the commander sent us to investigate."

"Sounds like Fire Nation," Sokka muttered, hand going automatically to the hilt of his machete. "Would you like some help?"

"First, we have to find out what it is, if there's even anything to it," Suki replied, neither accepting nor declining his offer.

"We should probably check it out, too," Katara put in with a sigh. "The odds are good that it's after us."

"Hey, that sounds like something I would say!" Sokka exclaimed. "I'm so proud!"

"You're right!" Katara returned, sounding mortified. "I must be spending too much time with you." Sokka just laughed.

"Anyway, why don't you all come to our camp?" Sokka invited them. "That way, our whole group can hear your story at the same time."

"Whole group?" Suki asked, falling in beside him. "There's more than just the Avatar, then?"

"Yeah, we've had quite a few additions since we last saw you," Katara answered. "And I think we'd better prepare you for a couple of them…."

Author's Note: Okay, just to let everyone know, the next chapter is going to definitely have some T-rated stuff, and that will probably be true from here on out, either with sexuality or violence. Now, I see Sokka/Suki as potentially being a very passionate relationship, so I need to know 1) how far you think it should go and 2) how much of it you actually want to read. I won't promise I'll go with majority opinion on this, but I would like to get a feel for what level of intimacy my audience will be comfortable with.

Moira, if you're reading this, it may seem like I've taken things from Breath of Silver, but like I said, we just seem to think alike. I also hope you are working on finishing that!

Review responses:

xenus: Well, thank you very much! It seems like the only reason I read my e-mail lately is to see if I have reviews!

SnakeEyes16: Well, unfortunately, I start school again tomorrow (going back to college in my 30s, yay), so I don't know how much I'll be writing. I am hoping to finish this story before the new movie airs, though, so the chapters will probably be coming a little faster the next three weeks.

SilvrImage: I'm so glad the scene turned out okay. Oh, and I like the videos you link to in your profile, especially the Someone Like You one. I think I've seen it four times now.

frozenheat: Yeah, more Iroh in this chapter. I can't seem to get enough! Someone help me…

denythefreshmaker: I'm glad I'm doing well enough at the sexual tension that it's getting to you, but please calm down. My husband did write the following for you: "Aang stopped watching the sunset, turned…and stuck his tongue down Sokka's throat." Hee hee. Now be patient and don't rush me!

MyrmidonGuy: Yes, I love Kataang. I think I love it even more as I write this fic, which is probably kind of twisted. I am particularly proud of that scene.

Kairuthefrog: Thanks a lot! As I mentioned above, I did particularly like that Aang/Katara scene, and I'm glad the Sokka/Yue deal went over well.

Jonnoda: Yes, I just adore men. Your review reminded me of how Aang crashed into a snowbank in the first episode because he was distracted by Katara smiling up at him.

fallenfox: Um, yeah, well, here's an update, and here's Suki! I guess we're on the same wavelength.

daydream11: Thanks! Here's your update!


	12. Chapter 12: Reunions

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: Chapter 11 review responses are at the end. Is it just me, or has the moon been constantly full during the entire second season? Since the voice in Katara's head was such a hit, Sokka and Aang will also be developing snarky inner voices. This chapter's a little long, but I doubt anyone will complain about that. Action scenes are things I struggle with, but they're important to the story, so please bear with me.

**Reunions**

_She's tons of fun, and you're no fun at all. She completes you._

--Sid the Sloth, Ice Age 2: The Meltdown

As it happened, there was a hare caught in one of Sokka's snares. It wasn't much to go around, but enough to add some flavor variety. Katara had found she could do without meat pretty well, anyway, possibly as an unconscious result of her developing feelings for Aang. She'd been thinking a great deal about what she and Iroh had talked about earlier, and she was becoming more convinced that the Avatar was The One for her. His patient and forgiving nature balanced her short temper and sharp tongue; his playfulness drew her out of her seriousness, as Sokka had already noticed; and Aang had literally given her the world and helped her to reach her full potential as a waterbender. How could she ever repay him for all of that?

Sokka paused, killed the hare efficiently, and began to skin and prepare it. He was in the habit of doing this out of sight of camp. Although Aang did not mind others eating cooked meat in front of him, he didn't particularly enjoy watching this part of the process, and Katara appreciated her brother's sensitivity.

"I see you have other skills, as well," Suki said approvingly, and Katara thought there was something decidedly suggestive in her tone.

"Oh, this?" Sokka replied modestly. "I've been doing this kind of thing since I was eight." Although Katara knew this to be true, she couldn't help rolling her eyes at his obvious enjoyment of Suki's attention.

"Well, we don't all need to stand around watching my brother prepare lunch," she told the other girls. They moved into the camp, while Sokka and Suki stayed behind. However, only Momo and Appa were there, dozing in the sun. Katara heard rumblings and saw flashes of light coming from above and reasoned that lessons must be going on somewhere on the hills that rose up behind the river. She decided to wait for the other two to rejoin them. Once they did, Katara suggested that she and Sokka go up and fetch the others.

Iroh and Zuko were closest, with Aang and Toph still in sight, but a safe distance away. Everyone stopped what they were doing when the siblings approached.

"What's up, guys?" Aang asked, approaching with Toph in tow.

"I hope it's worth interrupting my lesson," Toph complained.

"I think so," Sokka said. "We have some visitors back at camp with a story we should probably check out."

"It's Suki and her warriors of Kyoshi," Katara added for Aang's benefit. He needed no further encouragement and jumped down the slope in giant leaps, grinning cheekily up at the others as they came down more slowly. As soon as everyone arrived back at camp in a cluster, Suki came marching up to Zuko.

"I know who you are," she said angrily. "You're the guy who tried to burn down my village!" With no more warning than that, she punched him solidly in his scarred eye, making him fall back two steps. As she lunged forward again, however, Zuko's hands shot out to grasp her wrists. At the same moment, Sokka grabbed Suki around the waist and tried to pull her back.

"I deserved the first one," Zuko grated at the female warrior. "If you want any more, you'll have to earn them." Aang stepped in between.

"Please, everyone, let's not fight," he pleaded, preparing to shoot air blasts if it should prove necessary. Zuko let go of Suki, forcing Sokka to stumble backwards a few steps as her full weight was thrown into him. He managed to plant one foot behind him, catching Suki so that she sort of straddled his other knee.

"Do you feel better?" Sokka asked her with a little sarcasm. Suki turned her head so that their faces were bare inches apart.

"Actually, yes, I do," she informed him, and Katara again thought she caught the suggestion there. Sokka cleared his throat and set her back on her feet.

"So anyway, this is Suki," he declared to no one in particular. Suki turned to Aang.

"And you're the one who saved us!" she exclaimed. "I never got a chance to thank you." With that, she gave him a spontaneous hug, leaving Katara feeling a little jealous.

_He did risk his life for them, _she told herself firmly. _I suppose he's entitled to a hug._

"Um, you're welcome?" Aang replied, looking thoroughly confused at the sudden change of mood. The other six female warriors followed their leader's example, giving a little bow of respect to the Avatar, followed by a hug. By the time this was over, Katara was practically shaking in the effort to control herself, and she could feel her fingernails digging into her palms. When the last girl was done, Katara went to Aang and placed her hand on his shoulder, despite knowing this was a possessive gesture to which she was not strictly entitled. The other girls caught her meaning readily enough, though, and they visibly fell back. Unfortunately, Sokka also noticed and raised a questioning eyebrow at his sister, which she pretended not to see. Aang just looked up at her curiously, but he didn't seem to take issue with her uninvited contact.

"Now that we've got all the formalities out of the way, let's see if we can eat and have a _civil_ conversation," Katara announced, glaring equally at Zuko and Suki. Katara and Sokka prepared the meal while Suki told the others about their mission. The newer members of the Avatar's entourage also shared a little of how they came to join the group. The Kyoshi warriors politely declined the offered food, choosing their trail rations instead. Katara appreciated this, since they hadn't been planning on doubling the mouths they'd have to feed.

"Well, I can certainly understand why you left, Toph," Suki told the younger girl after hearing her story. "I don't know what I'd do if my parents hadn't allowed me to fight. I'm curious, though, about what your folks were going to do when you grew up. I mean, they weren't going to live forever."

"They never talked about it," Toph answered her. "They were probably planning to marry me off to some rich, old man when I was sixteen and assume I'd be well taken care of for the rest of my life."

"That's awful," responded Katara in a rare moment of sympathy with the earthbender. Sokka nodded and murmured his agreement, but Toph merely shrugged.

"That's the way it usually is in wealthy families," she replied casually. Zuko nodded shortly.

"I would have had a marriage arranged for me, if…things had been different," he commented.

"It's still not right," Sokka said emphatically. "Everyone should be free to choose who they marry. Especially girls," he added, glancing surreptitiously at Suki, who seemed to approve. By now, everyone had finished eating and looked ready to do something different.

"We can cover the most ground in the air," Aang said dubiously. "But Appa can't carry everyone."

"He won't have to," Sokka assured him. "Suki, you can come with us to check things out, then come back and tell your warriors the situation. Suki nodded and instructed her women to go back to their temporary base somewhere upriver and wait for her there.

Aang guided Appa in a search pattern over the nearby villages.

"Look!" Katara pointed over the bison's side, and the others (except Toph) followed her finger. There was no machine, but some burned buildings, caved-in walls, and trampled roads indicated that something had passed through recently.

"I guess we're on the right track," Suki commented grimly.

"Should we go down and try to help them?" Aang wondered, but Sokka shook his head.

"It's more important to find whatever did this and stop it first," he declared. Once found, the path of destruction was easy to follow. It didn't take long before they found an odd-shaped metal object lumbering along. To Aang's consternation, it was headed right for another village.

"Sokka, take the reins," he called over his shoulder. "Find someplace to land. I'll get their attention and join you."

"A _defensible_ place to land," Sokka amended quietly as he took over at the head. Aang jumped to the saddle, grabbed his glider-staff, and threw himself off Appa's back. As long as he was going to do this, he might as well try to have a little fun.

When he thought he'd fallen far enough, Aang snapped open his glider and circled in on the machine. It was reminiscent of an insect, with a squat, oval body surrounded by six jointed legs. He did a fly-by right in front of it, causing it to grind to a stop.

"Looking for me?" he called out as he made another pass. Just to add insult to injury, he waved before veering off in the direction he'd left Appa and the others. As he had hoped, the machine turned and began to follow him. The next minute or so was tricky, as Aang had to keep glancing back to make sure he hadn't lost them while also keeping an eye out for his friends. At last, he found them on top of a plateau. It was a good location, with sheer drops on all but one side. The group was already arranging along the top of the scaleable slope in preparation for battle. Aang dropped down behind them and collapsed his staff again.

"What is it?" Toph wondered. Aang came up behind her in a position beside Katara so that he could see over the edge.

"It's kind of like a bug," Katara answered. "A round thing on these six, narrow legs."

"Not very practical in this kind of terrain," Toph observed, frowning and testing the vibrations with her feet. Zuko snorted.

"It must be Azula, then," he determined. "My sister has no respect for the forces of nature. She re-orders the world to suit herself."

"True," Iroh agreed. "It has served her well in the past, but it might also be a weakness."

"Don't let the one in pink touch you," Katara advised as she uncorked her canteen and withdrew her bending water.

"Hello? No colors," Toph reminded her, waving a hand in front of her face.

"She'll be the one that leaves the ground a lot," Sokka clarified for her. He had his machete and boomerang at the ready, and Suki was opening her sharp-edged fans. The two of them stood in front with Toph as defense, while the others took up a loose formation behind using the spaces between as sight lines, ready to take the opportunity for offense as it presented itself. Aang's own specialty was evasion, but he held his staff ready and waited. The machine stopped at the bottom, and a hole opened in the front and began to glow red.

"Not good, not good," muttered Suki anxiously.

"Everybody, DOWN!" Sokka shouted. Everyone ducked just in time, as a large fireball came shooting over them. Aang used an air blast to make certain it wouldn't hit Appa and Momo, who were huddled at the far end of the plateau.

However, when they all turned and peered over the side again, it appeared the fire blast had been designed primarily as a distraction. Ty Lee was already jumping and handspringing her way up as the other two girls emerged from a hatch in the top of the machine. Sokka threw his boomerang at her, but she easily dodged it. Toph amused herself for a while by tossing up rock barriers where she predicted the acrobat was heading. Although she wasn't always right, it created more obstacles for Ty Lee to overcome, and between that, Aang blowing a gale at her, and Katara continuously trying to hit her with a water whip, she was forced to fall back.

While this was going on, Mai and Azula were pulling themselves up to stand on top of their metal bug, and Mai threw a number of knives at once. Suki and Sokka blocked them, exchanging a look of mutual satisfaction at their success. Toph pulled earth around her like a suit of armor. Azula surveyed the situation.

"So, all four elements working together, hm?" she observed in a high, mocking tone. "Unless I eliminate one." She took up a firebending position and ran her right arm along an arc as though trying to decide whom to attack. Getting a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, Aang pulled Katara towards him just as the lightning left Azula's fingers. The attack still grazed Katara's right shoulder, forcing her to drop the water she was bending. The smell of burned flesh combined with her gasp of pain made the too-familiar mixture of rage and agony well up inside Aang. When he realized what was about to happen, though, he forced it back down.

_No, stop it,_ he told himself sternly, struggling to keep the Avatar State at bay. _It's just her shoulder; she can heal it. _Instead, he leapt in front of her and spun his staff, ready to either deflect or receive any further attacks.

"Okay, we wanted to see who and what it was, and we have," Sokka announced. "Let's go."

"No," Katara's voice came quietly from behind them. "Not until we slow them down." Aang and Sokka both glanced back at her. The pain in her eyes made Aang feel like a piece of his heart was being ripped out of his chest, but he also saw there the stubborn determination he so loved about her. He met Sokka's eyes, and they nodded to each other.

"Toph?" Aang asked.

"Way ahead of you, Twinkle-toes," she replied, letting her earthen armor fall to the ground.

"Everyone else, retreat," Sokka called out as he broke ranks and turned. Toph and Aang sent a controlled avalanche down the slope, nearly burying the front two legs of the metal monster.

"That should do it," Aang said, and he helped Toph over to Appa. Not wanting to waste time, he picked her up and air-lifted them both up. Sokka was already at the reins and took off as soon as they were aboard.

With Suki giving him directions, Sokka took them to her group's base.

"Aang, Katara, and I will go, get our things, and bring everything back here," he said, indicating the others should stay.

"I'm coming with you," Suki insisted.

"Fine, whatever. Toph, you're in charge of making sure no fights break out while we're gone." Toph gave him a mock salute, and they took to the skies again.

"Do you think this is a good idea, almost leading them to our camps?" Katara asked in a worried voice.

"I'm hoping that watching Appa fly back and forth will give them at least two possible targets," Sokka replied. "It might buy us a little more time."

When they landed, everyone dismounted to pursue their various tasks. Sokka went to take care of the tent he and Katara shared. Suki followed him, and when he turned to face her, there was a primal glint in her eye that Sokka found both exciting and frightening.

"I always feel exhilarated after a battle, don't you?" she breathed, advancing on him.

"Yeah, I guess," he answered cautiously. Apparently taking that as an invitation, Suki tackled him into the tent and joined her mouth with his.

_What is she doing? _Sokka thought.

_Kissing you; isn't that obvious?_

_And a little more, _he added as her arms snaked around him and she molded her body against him.

_Does it matter? Just enjoy it._

_Right you are._

He returned her kiss eagerly enough. When they paused to catch their breath, she backed up to look at him.

"This is the first time I've had anyone to share it with," Suki informed him. "The down-side of having an all-girl squad."

"Uh…" Sokka commented intelligently. His mind refused to function properly. His body, on the other hand, was working perfectly.

_You think too much, anyway,_ the voice in his head accused.

_Go away, _he replied shortly._ I think I can handle this._

Fortunately, Suki did not seem all that interested in conversation. She claimed his lips again, this time probing with her tongue until he opened to admit her. He responded in kind while running one hand down her back and thrusting the other into her hair. Suki left her exploration of his mouth to run a line of kisses down his neck. When she removed his shirt, however, and Sokka felt her hands against his bare chest, alarm bells started going off in his head.

"Um, Suki," he said breathlessly, after he'd managed to put a little space between them. "Not that this isn't great and all, but could you maybe give me a clue where you're planning to stop this?"

"I wasn't really planning," she answered in a husky whisper, eyes dark with passion and an inviting smile hovering over her lips. Sokka made a sound in his throat that was half-growl, half-moan, surprising even himself, and allowed their mouths and hands to get back to business.

Author's Note: Ooh, cliffhanger…sort of. Does anyone know what happened to the necklace Aang made for Katara? As far as I know, she only wore it in that one episode, so does she still have it? I've been thinking of bringing that in somewhere. I've also realized that Zuko has been beaten up quite a bit today, but don't worry; he'll catch a break next time.

Review responses:

Thanks to SilvrImage, xXxEndangeredSpeciesxXx, fallenfox, and loaned for your support.

Gir the Insane…: Thanks for reminding me! It's because of you I came up with Suki's method of "greeting" Zuko.

xenus: Yes, Sokka does seem to like forceful women. Both of the ones we've seen him with have taken the initiative to kiss him first.

SnakeEyes16: I'll get into some more Kataang, but I have to pace myself. Even though I kind of did rush Sokka/Suki. Well, I have my reasons.

frozenheat: Yeah, I felt like I had to pull Zuko back in, since I haven't done much with him in several chapters.

denythefreshmaker: You caught me! I've been feeling like I'm ignoring Toph and Zuko lately, so I try to throw in a few lines here and there. Really, Zuko doesn't talk much in the show, either. I think he said more in Bitter Work than in the prior three episodes combined, if you don't count the flashbacks in Zuko Alone.

MyrmidonGuy: Wow, a Smiley Award! I'd like to thank the Smiley Academy….I just had to slip that Sleeping Beauty bit in; the analogy of sleeping 100 years to be awakened by your true love was just too good to pass up. And I thought it would be kind of funny to have someone that deals with "magic" (in Sokka's words) every day say witches don't exist.

Kairuthefrog: Thanks for your input. You'll have to find out next chapter how far it went!

Gmasangel: Thank you for your praise! As I said at the beginning, I haven't seen every episode. I could remember at least two times Iroh saw the Avatar State, but I was deliberately understating it to fit the mood. Must be my English side.


	13. Chapter 13: Moments, Awkward & Beautiful

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: Chapter 12 review responses are at the end.

**Moments, Awkward and Beautiful**

Aang had anxiously watched as Katara healed her shoulder as the first order of business, although he knew she was perfectly capable of doing it. He couldn't help feeling that it was somehow his fault she'd been hurt. If the lightning had gone into her heart, as no doubt intended…he tried not to think about that.

He and Katara cleaned up the camp and loaded their things onto Appa's saddle. Sokka and Suki had disappeared into the tent Sokka and Katara normally shared, so they left that alone.

Aang turned to watch as Katara bended water to make sure the fire pit was out, then filled it in. She was so beautiful. His mind conjured up memories of Katara in her underclothing. Then, he imagined her in considerably less. He closed his eyes against the images, hoping to force them out. Unfortunately, since they were in his head, this only made the pictures more vivid, so he quickly opened his eyes again.

_Stop that!_ he chastised himself. _I shouldn't think about Katara that way._

_Bison dung._

_Excuse me?_

_You heard me. True love has physical dimensions. It's perfectly normal to have sexual thoughts._

_Then why does it feel so…wrong?_

_Social conditioning. With a little work, you'll get over it. _Aang wasn't sure that was such a good idea, but he decided to let it go for the moment.

"What are they doing in there?" Aang wondered aloud when everything else was done. Not seeming to hear him, Katara stared at the tent almost accusingly. Eventually, she sank to the ground and put her head in her hands.

"My sleeping bag is still in there!" she fretted. "I'll never be able to use it again!"

"What? Why?" Aang asked innocently. Katara raised her face to him, surprised. Seeing that he was honestly confused, she blushed and looked uncomfortable.

"Um, Aang, you know where babies come from, right?" she said instead of answering directly. Aang felt a flush creeping up his own neck, remembering when he had asked that very question and received a rather more detailed answer than he really wanted, but he didn't see where she was going with that question.

"Yeah, but what's that go to do with--" he cut himself off and his eyes widened in realization. He was sure his blush had taken over his entire head. "Wait. You mean…y-you think they're…_now_?"

Before Katara had a chance to answer, a shirtless Sokka came bolting out of the tent and plunged into the river until he was in up to his waist. His hair was loose, and he dipped a hand into the water and ran it through his tousled locks before throwing his head back and looking to the sky. Katara looked for a moment like she was going to laugh, but she quickly sobered and turned back to Aang.

"I might be going out on a limb here," she said. "But I'm going to take that as a 'no.'" Aang merely gaped until he found his voice.

"Sokka! That water's freezing cold!" he exclaimed. He knew because he and Katara had practiced waterbending there the previous evening. They'd gone to a slower-moving area a little downstream where the sun had more time to warm it during the day, but they'd still barely been able to get ankle-deep without going numb.

"It's not enough," Sokka replied, breathing heavily.

"You know that cold water thing doesn't really work, don't you?" Katara informed her brother.

"No, it doesn't," he agreed. Then he paused and looked at her narrowly. "How did _you _know that?" Katara merely blushed and looked at the ground, so Sokka turned his suspicious gaze on Aang. His genuine perplexity must have been evident because Sokka returned his attention to Katara.

"Really?" drawled Sokka, wading back out of the water. "Well, thanks, Katara. The thought of my sister all hot and bothered was exactly what I needed. You know, this water is cold!" He sat down beside Katara and took a few deep breaths. Aang looked between the siblings in confusion.

_Did I miss something?_

_Well, let's think. Is there a time recently when you noticed Katara plunging into the water for no apparent reason? _Aang tried not to show any expression on his face when the answer hit him.

_Kyoshi Island?_

_Exactly._

_So…is it possible…she felt something, too? _Aang didn't have time to pursue this any further because Katara was clearing her throat and attempting to redirect the conversation slightly.

"So she shut you down, eh?" she asked. She quickly clapped a hand to her mouth, mortified. "I'm sorry; it's none of my business."

"No, it isn't," Sokka agreed sternly. He relaxed quickly, though, and managed a twisted half-grin. "Actually, she was perfectly willing. I think."

"So, you didn't want to?" Aang asked, his curiosity overwhelming his sense of propriety. Sokka just looked at him in utter disbelief.

"Are you crazy? Of course I _wanted _to. It's just…" he trailed off. "She's a warrior, and we're in the middle of a war."

"And?" Katara prompted when it didn't look like he was going to say any more.

"Well, I couldn't help thinking, if I – I mean we – if we…you know. Well, what if…she got…"

"Pregnant?" Katara supplied helpfully.

"Exactly. What kind of a fighter would she be then? And I'd go off with you guys and might not even know? It's just not right." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Looking at the ground, he added, "I don't think Dad would approve."

Not minding the water, Katara threw herself at her brother, nearly knocking him over sideways as she gave him an enthusiastic hug.

"I do love you, you know," she said happily.

"Yeah, well, I have my moments," Sokka answered, looking embarrassed. However, some of his bravado seemed to be returning. "Besides, someone's got to set a good example for you two."

_Us two? _Aang echoed internally as his guilt from his earlier imaginings returned and his throat tightened in panic. _Sokka can't possibly know what I've been thinking…_

"What do you mean by that?" Katara's voice was rising dangerously as she pulled away again. Sokka looked at her in surprise, and observing that she was staring daggers at him, seemed to realize he'd spoken out of turn.

"Nothing," he muttered quickly. "Not enough blood getting to the brain yet, I guess." He stood up. "I suppose it's time I go explain all this to Suki."

The ride back to the Kyoshi warriors' camp was a quiet one. Sokka and Suki appeared to have reached an understanding, but there was still a lot of evident embarrassment going around. Katara was slightly envious of Aang because he was steering Appa, having both something to occupy him and a little space between him and the new couple. Katara considered going up to join him, but considering her recently discovered feelings towards him and her brother's half-accusation, she didn't think it would be a good idea.

It was with some relief, therefore, that they landed. There wasn't any evidence of fighting having broken out in their absence, so either Toph had done her job well, or there had been no need.

As soon as she dismounted, Katara took a double-take at Zuko. His left eye, where Suki had hit him, was swelling up, and some purple bruising was beginning to show through the angry, red scar.

"Would you like me to take care of that for you?" she asked, pointing to it. He seemed confused. Katara frowned; had she forgotten to mention this aspect of her ability? "I can heal with waterbending." She raised her sleeve to show her healed shoulder.

"Oh," Zuko reached up gingerly to touch the affected area. "Well, if you don't think it will only encourage her to hit me again…"

Katara blinked. Had the persistently grumpy prince just made a joke? It was difficult to say, but in studying his expression, she decided he had to be serious.

"I think Sokka will help prevent that," she assured him and went to draw fresh water into a basin. Secretly, Katara realized that this might also give her a chance to find out whether her ability would work on his old scar as well. She came back to him, bent some of the water into her two hands, and infused it with the healing glow. "Okay, now close your eyes and try to hold still."

He could have been a statue, he remained so still. She tried to think of Sokka or Aang ever sitting so motionless when they were conscious and could hardly keep from laughing. Even when Aang was meditating, there were always slight movements and twitches.

_I have been watching him way too much, _she realized.

_So what's wrong with that?_

_You again? What will it take to get rid of you?_

_It's painfully simple, actually._

_Really? How?_

_Just tell Aang you love him._

_Oh, is THAT all? _she thought back sarcastically.

_Yep, that's it._

Katara returned to the task at hand. She gently pressed the water against his eye, concentrated on what she wanted it to do, then let it fall away. Zuko gasped as the swelling and pain disappeared.

_I can't, _she resumed her inner dialogue._ What if I don't make it through this war? Wouldn't it be easier for him not to know?_

_That's just an excuse. He'll find someone to love; it's his nature. Like anything, love is a game. The only way to win is to play. The surest way to lose is _not_ to play._

"That's amazing," Zuko complimented, dragging Katara's attention back. She studied the burned area the water had also touched. It was slightly faded, but the scar tissue remained. She licked her lips as she gathered her courage to take the next step.

"Would you like me to keep going?" she asked. His gold eyes fixed sharply on her, and she gestured toward the left side of his face again. "Your scar. I don't think I can completely get rid of it, but I might be able to make it a little less noticeable." A mixture of emotions played through his eyes, though the rest of his features remained fixed in neutrality. Even so, Katara thought this was the most vulnerable she'd ever seen him. At last, he tightened his jaw.

"Do what you can," he allowed her, closing his eyes. "It would serve everyone if I were…less recognizable." Katara went to work. It didn't take long, and she was happy with the result. The outer ring, always lighter, was now almost invisible. It was a faint pink, only a shade or so darker than Zuko's natural skin tone. The inner part of the scar was also lightened, giving him the appearance of having a permanently healing black eye, but it could also be mistaken for a birthmark. When she was done, Katara held up the basin so he could see his reflection. Leaving the mask completely behind, Zuko stared open-mouthed at his image, using his left hand to probe the healed area as if he couldn't quite believe it.

"Thank you," he whispered hoarsely. "I never thought…thank you."

"You're welcome," she said, tilting her head thoughtfully as she surveyed her work. "Your eyebrow might even grow back now." The golden eyes flicked to her, and he raised his good eyebrow at her.

"An eyebrow is the least of my problems," he remarked. She smiled and led him over to the others.

Sokka saw them first as they came back to the group, and he whistled softly in appreciation.

"Nice work, sis! He looks almost human now," Sokka grinned to soften his words. He'd made a kind of sport out of getting under the prince's skin.

"Too bad she can't help you as easily," Zuko shot back, leaving Katara and Sokka gaping at each other. Had lightening the prince's scar somehow uncovered a sense of humor? Aang laughed before covering his mouth with his hand and met Katara's gaze. She could tell he was remembering their talk from a few weeks earlier. He gave her a broad smile and a nod of approval, making her heart feel ready to burst out of her chest as she smiled happily back.

Katara caught a buzz among the girls of Suki's squad at Zuko's changed appearance and couldn't help rolling her eyes. Amazing how some girls could forget anything else when confronted with a handsome face. Personally, she preferred a light build and a nice pair of eyes over large muscles and a chiseled jaw any day. Not to mention the matter of personality.

Later that evening, Iroh pulled her aside.

"Thank you for what you did for my nephew," he said quietly, tears in his eyes. "I'm not sure if you realize…"

"I think I'm beginning to," she answered honestly. Despite what Aang had told her earlier, she hadn't really understood how much of Zuko was wrapped up in that burn. Lessening its visible impact on him seemed to relieve him of a burden he'd carried so long that he'd almost forgotten it was there. He stood straighter, took part more readily in conversation. It was as though a transformation that had begun the night they'd spent with Song and her mother had just taken another large step.

Author's Note: If you wonder what Suki was doing in the tent that whole time, I assumed she was also busy collecting herself. The next chapter is underway, and I think I will have enough material for one more, making a total of 15. I will give you guys about two days to read and review this before posting the next one.

Review responses:

Azada: Well, thank you, and I'm glad you've joined us. I heard about the Toph thing, too, but I don't think I'm going to deal with it. What is up with Sokka being a chick-magnet all of a sudden?

fallenfox: Here's your update!

Denisen: I'm kind of surprised you're reading this, since I read your profile and we only seem to agree on one ship. Well, I hoped you enjoyed the Sukka.

Gir the Insane…: Yes, you helped me, and it led nicely into the scar-healing scene. As far as the rest, we're getting there. Is this soon enough for you?

xenus: Aang got Katara's mother's necklace back to Katara in Bato of the Water Tribe and it played a significant role in The Waterbending Master. I was talking about the replacement necklace Aang made for her in The Fortune Teller out of Sokka's fishing line, which mysteriously disappears shortly after she puts it on.

SnakeEyes16: Well, here's your fix. Bet you're glad I didn't make you wait too long. The next one should be up in a few days.

frozenheat: I think I'm improving on the action. I did rewrite it a few times, so I'm glad it turned out. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint.

denythefreshmaker: Yeah, I liked the idea of Katara acting a little possessive. Um, hope you made it to the bathroom. (My husband is dying to know.)

MyrmidonGuy: Thanks, but all good things must come to an end. This one's almost done.

Kairuthefrog: Yeah, I knew I was kind of pushing the T rating. A lot of what I included was for the comedy value. Oh, and you forgot Toph wasn't there, didn't you? It was weird how the necklace magically disappeared like that. The animators don't usually make those mistakes, so I wonder if it means something.

Imagination Queen: I'm kind of wondering how you found this story if you're not a fan of the show. Glad to have you with us for the journey, though. I'm usually putting my kids to bed when the new episodes air, so I've gotten in the habit of taping them this season.

SilvrImage: Thanks! Glad it made you laugh.


	14. Chapter 14: Confessions

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: Chapter 13 review responses are at the end.

**Confessions**

_I've never been in love before, either. It's great! I'm glad. The timing stinks._

--Joe, Joe Versus the Volcano

Aang had a hard time sleeping that night. He knew he needed to rest because they were planning to find and stop the Fire Nation machine the next day, but he couldn't settle his mind. Not only was he concerned about where Princess Azula was and whether they had slowed her down long enough, but he was also puzzling over the new information he had obtained about Katara yesterday.

_Okay, even if she was…how did Sokka put it?_

_Hot and bothered._

_Right. Even if that was because of me, it doesn't mean she loves me._

_Get real. You're short, skinny, and bald. What else _could_ it be?_

_Gee, thanks. I never knew I was so critical of myself._

_I'm just saying, there's not much else about you that could cause a physical reaction in a girl. Well, okay, you are a very powerful airbender and the Avatar. Not that you were exhibiting any of those qualities at the time._

_If this is how I sounded to Katara in the Cave of Two Lovers, no wonder she got mad at me._

_I'm just trying to help._

_You're lousy at it. Maybe I misunderstood._

_This is ridiculous. Just tell her you love her, and see what happens. _Aang rubbed his forehead, just above the brow ridges.

_I'd rather _know _what was going to happen._

_I thought you liked surprises in life._

_Usually. Anyway, I need to focus on Azula right now. Maybe when we've stopped her from wrecking the countryside, I can talk to Katara._

When Aang did doze off, just a couple of hours before dawn, he had nightmares: Katara being killed, seeing Katara injured again and going into the Avatar State, the Avatar State hurting her. He woke from the last one as the sun rose, knowing what he needed to do.

Quietly, Aang removed all unnecessary burdens from Appa's back while strapping his staff on. The bison grunted a little and came partly awake.

"Sorry, Appa," Aang apologized for waking him so early. "There's something we have to do. Just you and me, like the old days." He walked lightly over to the large head. Appa made another low noise and nuzzled the boy, and Aang smiled as he ruffled the fur alongside Appa's nose.

"What are you doing?" Aang started and turned to see Katara standing there, hands on her hips, glaring at him inquisitorially.

"I, um…couldn't sleep?" he tried. Katara crossed her arms over her chest and showed by her expression that she wasn't buying it. Her burned sleeve seemed to stand in mute condemnation.

"You were about to go off on your own again, weren't you?" she accused, then sighed. "Aang, I thought we'd already been through this."

"Yes, but this is different. I need to do this by myself."

"You're not alone anymore. How many times do I have to tell you?"

Others were stirring at the camp, either because of Katara's rising voice or because it was simply time to get up.

"Look, it's my responsibility to stop Azula. I'm the one she's after."

"That's what we're all planning to do."

"What's going on?" Sokka asked blearily, walking toward them and rubbing his eyes. Suki was with him, and all the others weren't far behind. So much for leaving quietly.

"He was just about to take off after Azula alone," Katara announced.

"I think we should come with you," Iroh came forward with Zuko. "That machine needs a firebender to operate it."

"If we can lure Azula out, it might give you time to destroy or disable it," Zuko chimed in.

"But be careful," Iroh added. "It will still have some weapons the other two girls can use." Aang considered the offer, decided it was a good idea, and nodded and gestured for them to get on Appa. He braced himself for the coming explosion. He wasn't disappointed.

"Wait a minute!" Katara's voice was becoming downright shrill. "They can come, but I can't? You know I can fight!"

"Of course I know that. That's not the point!"

"Then what is the point?"

"I…I just can't see you hurt again!" Aang turned his back on her.

"What? I'm healed. I'm fine!"

"It's not that. You don't understand."

"Maybe if you explain it to me, I will understand!" she shouted. Aang closed his eyes. He knew her well enough by now to realize that the anger in her voice was only there to mask the hurt. He couldn't leave her like this.

"Why?" Katara persisted.

_Just tell her._

"Fine," Aang said softly, answering the internal and external voices at the same time. He opened his eyes and whirled on her. He stared straight into Katara's icy blue gaze and said, "Because I love you." Her eyes widened, but he didn't wait for any further reaction. He turned, leapt up on Appa's head, and called out, "Yip yip."

Katara stared after Appa for a long moment. Her mind was blank. She forced it to begin working again as she turned to the others, but she had room at first for only one thought.

Aang loved her. He _loved _her. Her eyes rested first on her brother. His expression was not without sympathy, but he seemed to be waiting for the proverbial axe to fall. It registered with Katara that Sokka did not look surprised.

"You knew," she realized, advancing on him. "You knew, and you didn't tell me!"

"Yes, I knew. You could have, too, if you'd paid attention." In a softer tone, he added, "Didn't you ever wonder why you were the only one who could bring him out of the Avatar State?"

"I'm the only one who really tried!"

"Yes, but why?"

"Because I knew…he'd never hurt me," Katara finished the sentence in a hush approaching a whisper. At some level, she _had_ known.

A hundred memories of Aang crowded on her brain: crashing into a snow bank, riding the elephant koi, weaving a necklace out of fishing line, rescuing her from a Fire Festival demonstration, offering to refuse waterbending lessons because she couldn't join him, and many others. The smiles, the hugs, the blushes – all the little ways he had tried to tell her, signs she had either ignored, missed, or mistaken. Katara sank down onto a rock.

"Oh, spirits," she swore, tears stinging her eyes. "I am such an _idiot!_"

The rock on which Katara was sitting lurched upward, forcing her to her feet again.

"We don't have time for this, Sugar Queen," said Toph forcefully. "We know the situation. Now, what are we gonna _do_ about it?"

Sokka ignored her for the moment, walked up to Katara, and laid his hand on her shoulder.

"You love him, too, don't you?" he asked quietly. She couldn't meet his searching gaze, but she nodded miserably. "Then you know what you have to do." The mixture of firmness and gentleness in his tone, suddenly so reminiscent of their father, caused Katara to lift her chin.

"Yes. Yes, I do," she replied, her voice strengthening as she spoke. "We have to go after them. I have to tell him…"

"That's what I was waiting to hear."

The journey on foot seemed to take forever. Katara kept trying to break into a run, forcing her brother to keep grabbing her by the elbow and pulling her back. Katara knew she had to pace herself and conserve her energy, but the sense of urgency she felt was so strong. It didn't help that there was an irresistible pull inside her, tugging her in Aang's direction. Like Sokka's boomerang, her heart was drawn towards its true owner. Momo alighted on her shoulder and chattered comfortingly to her. She reached up absently to scratch behind his ear.

As the walk went on, Katara was continuing to put things together in her mind, trying to absorb the massive truth Aang had laid upon her. Suddenly, she gripped Sokka's arm as a stunning realization hit her.

"Sokka!"

"What?"

"It's love. Love is the trigger!"

"Huh? Trigger for what?"

"The Avatar State." Sokka stopped at that, turning to Katara and gripping her by the upper arms.

"What do you mean?" he asked intently. "I thought that--"

"I know. Avatar Roku told Aang that it only happened when the Avatar is in mortal danger." Unwilling to stand still very long, Katara turned away and resumed walking, her brother moving to keep pace with her. "But think about it. That hasn't always been true. At the Southern Air Temple, nobody was in danger. Later, General Fong threw a whole platoon at him, but it wasn't until he sank me underground--"

"Losing someone he loves also causes it," it was Sokka's turn to interrupt. He sounded both amazed and thoughtful. "Or thinking he has. Wow."

"That's why he didn't want me to come," Katara further explained. "When Azula hit me, before, he must have come close to losing it. How could I be so stupid?"

"You're not stupid," Sokka assured her. "It's just…when you're too close to a situation, you can't see it clearly. I think maybe it's the hardest thing in the world to believe that the person you love can possibly love you back."

"I don't deserve him," Katara insisted, shaking her head wearily. Sokka gave her a wry grin.

"Believe me when I say that he feels exactly the same about you," he told her. Then, in an apparent effort to lighten the mood, he added, "And rightly so. You are my sister, after all."

Katara appreciated this, but she began to despair of reaching their destination before the battle was over. She found herself calculating how long it was likely to take Aang and the others to reach Azula, adjusting for whether she had been able to move yet this morning and whether she would have come toward where she thought they were camped or gone on to the next village. Presumably, Aang would want to keep Appa out of harm's way, so he would land some distance from the princess and her friends and walk the rest of the way. That would take some time, and Aang was pretty good at stretching out a fight with his avoid and evade tactics.

_I suppose we'll have the advantage of following the flashes and explosions, which will help us find the battle faster, _whispered a voice in her head.

_Well, _that's _comforting,_ she thought sourly._ Sheesh, I really _am_ starting to think like Sokka._

No sooner had she thought this than flashes did appear in the sky ahead. Katara's heart jumped into her throat as she realized the battle had been joined and began to worry about Aang. Their group climbed a rise, and it seemed that the fight was going on in a small valley beyond the next hill. Sokka and Suki immediately began talking strategy.

"Toph, you and Katara come with me," Sokka said. "We'll try to come behind the machine and do whatever damage we can."

"What about us?" Suki asked, referring to her group.

"Unfortunately, you and your warriors are primarily trained in hand-to-hand combat, which isn't much use against that thing. You'll be our backup. Split into two groups and take cover on our flanks. If we need help, or if those girls come out of the machine, move in."

Suki didn't look too happy, but she gave a curt nod. As they cautiously clambered over the hill, everyone split up and prepared to engage the enemy.

Author's Note: I'm not sure how happy I am with this chapter. Most of it's just a bridge between Aang's confession and the grand finale. Battle next chapter!

Review responses:

Denisen: Thanks!

LittleKitty91093: Yes, there are a lot of Zutara stories out there, which is one of the reasons I wrote this. I hope you're having better luck finding Kataang stuff.

Gir the Insane…: Thanks for the cookie! I admit to projecting a little of myself onto Katara in the last chapter. It's always been the eyes on men that attract me. I've dated a variety of physical types, but they generally tended to lean more towards the long-distance runner than the body-builder. Lean but toned, kind of like Sokka (yes, I love him, too).

xenus: It seems like every new chapter is your favorite. I'm either getting better as I go on, or you're a very happy person that is most pleased with what you're currently doing. Either way, thank you!

SnakeEyes16: Check out the author's notes at the end of the final chapter for info on upcoming works from me. The remainder of the Kataang action in this story will be more dramatic than fluffy. Sorry about that.

frozenheat: I figured everyone would need some humor because the rest is fairly serious.

denythefreshmaker: No! No love triangles!

Kairuthefrog: Great, long review! I thought it worked pretty well to have Katara thinking about Aang the whole time, to kind of defuse the whole Zutara possibility there. You're right; it would be very easy to accidentally convey the feeling that something was developing there.

XXxEndangeredSpeciesxXx: Part of what I'm doing here is putting Zuko through a series of experiences that are forcing him to challenge his assumptions and gradually changing his character. So, yes, he might be a little OOC, but that's completely intentional.

Artemis Rae: I'm so glad you like it! It can be a challenge to fit humorous moments into what is otherwise a fairly serious story, but I love doing it! I really have a hard time writing without humor. I think life is funny, and the humor is a big part of what I love about Avatar, too.

SilvrImage: There's nothing wrong with being innocent, but how could you not know what was happening? I practically gave a blow-by-blow description in the previous chapter. The idea is just that it went a little further before Sokka put a stop to it.

Jini: Thank you so much! I would have liked to have some reviews from you sooner, as well. Glad you're enjoying it! I also like your No One Else, and I hope you finish it soon.


	15. Chapter 15: Battle's Roar

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Author's Note: Chapter 14 review responses are at the end. I have over 120 reviews! Thank you so much, everyone! The chapter title is inspired by the song "The Battle's Roar is Over" from Gilbert & Sullivan's Ruddigore. Just as a warning, this chapter gets a little graphic, but I feel the details are important for establishing the scene. I have drawn some things from my CPR and First Aid classes.

**Battle's Roar**

Katara took a moment to survey the situation before plunging in. It appeared that Iroh and Zuko had been successful in drawing Azula out, as the three of them were fighting on the far ridge. The machine stood motionless, the other two girls staying safely inside for the moment. Aang was trying to use air to push it over, but it stood firm. Suddenly, a bundle of arrows shot out the front at him, reminding Katara of what Iroh had said about other weapons. Aang leapt high to avoid most of them, and sent the rest gusting back toward their source. It didn't look like he'd noticed his reinforcements yet, which was probably good. The last thing he needed right now was to be distracted.

Sokka threw his boomerang at one of the legs on the left, catching a joint. To everyone's surprise, the joint stiffened, making the thing list a little to one side.

"Go for the legs!" Sokka called out. Katara complied, tossing water at another leg and freezing it. At her signal, Sokka threw his boomerang again, hitting the joint squarely and making it shatter. Now the upper part of that appendage was dangling uselessly above the ground. Meanwhile, Toph went to the other side and opened a crack in the ground, sinking two of the legs on the right. The third teetered on the edge of the crevice and began to slide, and Aang threw a rock at it, forcing it the rest of the way. As the machine tilted, another attack launched from the portal in front, this time a volley of daggers. The angle of their flight was affected by the machine's unexpected movements, and Aang was caught out of position from his recent earthbending tactic. He jumped again, avoiding the main cloud, but he turned the wrong way. Two errant knives landed solidly in his body, interrupting his graceful arc and sending him towards the ground.

"Aang!" the cry was ripped from Katara's throat almost against her will. Before she even realized what she was doing, she had broken into a dead run toward him.

Between one breath and the next, Aang's eyes and tattoos were glowing as the Avatar State showed itself in its full, terrifying glory. He stopped his fall, holding his body up in a whirlwind. For a moment, everything seemed to stop as everybody present paused to take in the events that were unfolding. Out of the corner of her eye, Katara thought she saw movement. She dared to turn her head briefly and saw Ty Lee and Mai climbing out of the top of the metal bug.

The blank eyes of the furious Avatar focused on the source of his pain and stretched out a hand. Katara lurched to a stop, following the line of his aim with her eyes. He sent lightning out at the machine just as the two girls jumped clear. Katara had to look away as the bright flashes crackled through the structure. Explosion after explosion erupted until, at last, there was silence except for the whipping of the wind. When Katara looked again, the machine was nothing but a crumpled, blackened husk. She was dimly aware of Ty Lee and Mai backing away from the spectacle that was currently Aang, but she couldn't worry about them right now.

Although she had no idea how she could know this, Katara was absolutely sure that Aang would die if he didn't come out of the Avatar State soon. He was burning up too much energy. Even now, he seemed to be searching for new targets on which to vent his wrath. Shielding her eyes against the cyclone, Katara walked straight into it, standing beneath the Avatar. She reached up and grasped an ankle, bringing the cold gaze down to regard her.

"Aang, it's over," she told him, shouting to make herself heard. "Please, you have to come back. We need you. _I _need you."

The features softened as Aang looked at her, eyebrows moving from their angry, downward furrow into upward arches and mouth relaxing from its tight frown. He came toward her in response to her gentle tug, and the wind died away. Before he reached the ground, he closed his eyes and the brilliant glow faded. Katara settled him down on the packed earth, partly supporting his upper body. When the Avatar's eyes opened again, they had returned to the familiar gray, full of pain and questions.

"…tara?" he managed, slowly focusing on her.

"Shh, don't try to talk," she warned. "You've been badly hurt." She looked up to see Sokka, Toph, and Suki coming toward her.

"Try not to move him," Sokka advised. "He may have internal bleeding." As if to prove this, Aang coughed, leaving a froth of blood on his lips. Katara slowly and carefully lay him down, then gently wiped the blood away with a corner of her dress.

"C-cold," Aang struggled to tell her. Katara's eyes widened.

_That's not a good sign. So much blood! I don't know if I can do this._

_You don't have a choice._

_But look at him!_

_Calm down and take care of him. You can freak out later._

_Right. _Katara took a couple of deep breaths to steady herself. For the first time, she began to wish that she had taken a few more healing classes at the North Pole.

_Now, think. He's coughing up blood. What does that mean?_

_His lung. The knife got his lung._

_Right. And he's cold. Which means?_

_Excessive blood loss._

_Maybe. Or?_

"He's going into shock," she said aloud, turning to Sokka. "See if you can find a blanket or something to keep him warm."

"I have a better idea," Sokka replied. He rummaged cautiously about Aang's belt until he withdrew the bison whistle. He blew on it a couple of times. "That should bring Appa with whatever supplies are still on his saddle. If nothing else, he's warm and furry, right?"

"Okay. You two, get me some water," Katara addressed the two girls. She unslung her water container, bent the remaining water out of it, and tossed it to Suki. "I think I'm going to need a lot of it." She didn't bother to make sure they were doing what she asked. All her attention was focused on her patient right now.

Fortunately, the daggers had hit fairly low on his torso, one in the gut and the other just under the ribcage. Still, they were buried deep inside, and it would take all of her concentration to bring him out of this. Katara looked around at the ground to find out what kind of knives these were. She thanked all the gods that might be listening that they were straight-edged. Had they been jagged, she might have been out of her league. Sokka kneeled on Aang's other side.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, concerned.

"No," she answered honestly, gesturing at the bleeding boy before her. "Should I be?" Sokka gripped her wrist.

"You don't have to do this," he said quietly. "Maybe we can find--"

"There's no time," she asserted, not meeting his eyes. "I can do this." Sokka released her but stayed close.

"Can I help?"

"Yes. Pull his shirt away from the knives. Tear it as much as you have to."

Sokka obeyed, and Aang winced a few times as the cloth stuck to the open wounds. Katara infused the water with her healing ability and then, holding it suspended with her right hand, grasped the lower knife in her left. She steeled herself for what she was about to do. Aang was staring blankly at the sky, his breathing labored.

"Hold him as still as you can," she instructed her brother, who took a firm grip on the Avatar's shoulders. "This is going to hurt. I'm sorry," she added in a whisper as she pulled the knife out as straight and smoothly as she could. Aang stiffened and cried out, and Katara bit her lip at the sound. Blinking back tears – she didn't have time for them now – she plunged the healing water into the wound. She couldn't see all the way down, but she tried to concentrate on healing the lowest point first and working her way upward.

The sights and smells of what she was doing made Katara want to retch, but this, too, was something she couldn't afford. Noting that she was still holding the bloody knife, she tossed it aside. She also pulled the rust-colored water out and poured it onto the ground, dismayed that it had not been enough to heal all the way to the surface.

Somewhere during this process, Aang had fallen mercifully unconscious, so Sokka released him. A shadow passed over them, and Katara looked up to see Appa coming in for a landing. He immediately tried to sniff at Aang, but Sokka pushed his nose aside.

"Not now, big guy," he murmured, and the bison grunted in response. "We're doing everything we can." He climbed up onto the saddle to see what he could find. Meanwhile, Suki and Toph had returned with water. Suki carried Katara's bending pouch and laid it almost reverently on the ground in front of her. Toph had two canteens over her shoulder, which she also dropped.

"Is he going to be okay?" Suki asked anxiously.

"I hope so," Katara answered quietly, unstoppering one of the containers randomly and healing the rest of the first injury. Katara did not acknowledge them any further, too absorbed in her task. The second dagger was trickier because she knew it had damaged at least one vital organ. She had to withdraw it very meticulously and try to mend the lung first, then everything else. Sokka came down from the saddle with his black cloak and laid it across Aang's chest and shoulders.

Finally, the wounds were closed, and Katara sat back, drained. She pulled the cloak over more of Aang's body. Huddled under it, he looked so small and helpless, a stark contrast to the powerful being he had been just minutes before. Katara only wished she could be sure she'd healed the inside as well as the outside. Suddenly, an idea occurred to her. She'd never tried it before, but it just might work.

"Sokka, lift his head just a little," she ordered, taking another dose of water between her hands. Sokka complied, and Katara patiently directed the healing flow in a tiny stream going down Aang's throat. His swallow reflex allowed him to drink it, even while unconscious. Katara chewed her lower lip in thought. "How long does it take water to get through the body?"

"I don't know. Half an hour?" Sokka guessed.

Katara indicated that Sokka should move, and she took his place, resting Aang's head on her lap as she settled in to wait.

"Where is everyone else?" she asked, finally taking a moment to look at her surroundings. Toph sat a short distance away, looking alert, but no one else was visible.

"Suki's warriors took off after Ty Lee and Mai when they started running. They won't chase them too far, though, so she went to meet up with them and hear their report when they get back. I'm not sure about Iroh and Zuko; I kind of lost track of them. They might have followed Azula for a while. I think Aang surprised all of them."

"You'd think they would learn."

"Well, none of them had seen the Avatar State before," Sokka pointed out. "I don't think hearing about it is quite the same as seeing it in action. Which reminds me, I should go explain things to Toph. This was her first experience with that, too."

Katara nodded her agreement. She wanted to be left alone with Aang, anyway. At last, Katara let herself go. Her body began to shake from the emotional stress she'd been under, and the suppressed tears began to flow. She turned her head so that they wouldn't land on Aang and wake him. When the crying had run its course, she wiped her eyes and turned her attention back to the young Avatar. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully, and she tenderly ran her fingers along his right temple. He sighed in his sleep and turned his head so that side was fully toward her. She smiled a little, for what felt like the first time in days, and took the invitation to rub his head a little longer.

As time passed, the others began to gather, though they seemed to be keeping a respectful distance from the waterbender and the Avatar.

The end of one-half hour drew near, and Aang's skin began to glow from within, confirming to Katara that the healing water was moving through his bloodstream. When it had run its course, Katara assumed that he would wake up. It suddenly occurred to her that there were a lot of people around. She would prefer to have a moment with Aang without an audience, especially one that included her older brother.

"Sokka!" she called, getting his attention. He turned toward her, and she tilted her head towards Appa, trying to suggest that he leave.

"What?" he mouthed. Katara sighed in exasperation, looked significantly at Aang and back to Sokka, took in everyone else with a glance, and gave an even more pronounced jerk of the head. Sokka's brow cleared as comprehension dawned.

"Oh, right," Sokka said aloud, glancing quickly between his sister and the boy sleeping in her lap. He turned to get everybody's attention. "Why don't I bring you all back to camp? I'll come back for the others in a few minutes." The glance he tossed over his shoulder told Katara that she better not need any more than that.

It was not long after the others had taken flight that Aang began to stir. His eyelids fluttered, and he looked at Katara, upside-down.

"Katara," he said, immediately trying to sit up. Katara rushed to help him, supporting him with one arm.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"A little dizzy," he admitted, putting a hand to his head. He blinked a few times before focusing on Katara intently. "You came after me. Why?"

"Because I love you," she answered simply, echoing his own words. She watched as Aang's eyes showed first surprise, then disbelief. After that, it was as though a door had been opened, and a flood of emotion poured out at her, strong enough to take her breath away. Had he been hiding that from her all this time? She flicked her gaze toward his mouth, feeling her pulse race with what she had been wanting to do for longer than she had been willing to admit.

Katara leaned in, watching him mirror her movements before she closed her eyes and they finally completed what had begun in the Cave of Two Lovers. The kiss was amazing, somehow both ethereal and the most real thing she had ever done. She lost all sense of self as the pair of them blended into one, expressing feelings they'd both kept hidden far too long. When they separated, grinning foolishly at each other, she had no idea how much time had passed. All at once, Katara became aware that they were not alone.

In her absorption with Aang, Katara had failed to notice that Zuko and Iroh had not been among the group that Sokka had escorted away. As she hugged Aang tightly and gazed over his head at the two firebenders, she was distracted from any possible embarrassment by a sight she'd never thought she would see.

Zuko was smiling.

THE END

Author's Note: Yeah, I know; it kind of begs a sequel, doesn't it? This was as far as I wanted to get with this particular story, but fear not, faithful fans, for I have many ideas to put in a sequel to this, which might even go all the way to Aang's confrontation with the Fire Lord. I think I will still put it in the same categories to make it easier to find, even though there might be less romance involved. However, I do need a little break, so don't expect that to start until October. In the meantime, I'm thinking of writing a couple of songfics that might either fit in with this fic or be completely independent. And who knows? The next few new episodes might inspire me to do a oneshot here and there. Enjoy Secret of the Fire Nation this week!

Review responses:

Piper Aurora Potter: Thanks for the brownie. Hope you enjoyed the ending.

abcdef…: Yeah, long time, no see. It's nice to know you're still out there.

Gir the Insane…: Unfortunately, some viewers mistake Sokka's frequent use as comic relief for stupidity. He's one of the most complex characters in the show, which is why I have so much fun writing him. I may paint a rather rosy picture of him, but I just can't help myself. I know it will never happen in canon, but I liked the idea of having Katara realize how stupid she's been.

xenus: Well, I hope this one is your new favorite.XD It was actually harder to get right than I expected, considering that I've had the ending outlined since I started this project. The devil is in the details, as they say.

SnakeEyes16: Glad I could lift your mood. And of course they had to kiss! What kind of a romance story would this be if that didn't happen?

Blackwa: Thanks!

xXxEndangeredSpeciesxXx: That's okay; questions like that give me opportunities to explain my thinking. I often have a lot of "subtext" in mind that doesn't necessarily make it into the story.

frozenheat: Yay, drama! Sorry this chapter took me a little longer. Other obligations and lack of sleep made it hard for me to feel like I was doing it justice.

denythefreshmaker: Yup, you know it! I hope you understand now why I didn't want to introduce a love triangle three chapters from the end!

MyrmidonGuy: I missed you last chapter! I'm not a believer in just writing on and on because you can. When I begin a story, I like to have a solid beginning and ending in mind, plus a few high points to hit in between. Still, you can look forward to the continuation of these adventures.

Jini: laughs Well, my philosophy is that romantic/sexual tension is all well and good, but you have to release it eventually. You'd better hurry up with No One Else, or I might be tempted to write an ending for you!  You know, now that I don't have this story on the brain all the time.

dixpy131: I hope you and your friends enjoyed the ending. I hope you stay tuned for the sequel!

SilvrImage: Well, here it is!


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